Clarification from the agency

ALL US CITIZENS DIRECT HIRE AUTHORITY: This position is being filled using Direct-Hire Authority (COVID-19 - VA 004) in-accordance with 5 U.S.C. 3304(a)(3) and 5 CFR 337.205(b)(1)-(4).

This position is located in the Nutrition and Food Service of a Veteran Affairs Medical Center. Nutrition and Food Services is responsible for providing meals and nutritional care to Veteran patients at the Medical Center.

Portland Primary duties include, but are not limited to:
1. Work independently to prepare/cook variety of items including regular and therapeutic diet entrees and desserts.
2. Follow menus, production sheets, and recipes using a variety of methods to prepare proteins, vegetables, and starches IAW Food Code and HACCP principles.

ICR (Vancouver) Primary duties include, but are not limited to:
1. Independently manages the ingredient control room for NFS to include ordering, inventorying stock levels, maintaining records, inspecting deliveries for accuracy and quality, maintains purchase card, rates subsistence continuously, and adheres to Food Code, HACCP, TJC, and safety regulations.
2. Augments WG-6 Production Cook staff as assigned.
*Candidates with one or more year of ICR, budget, and reporting experience preferred.

Work Schedule: Various tours, schedule to be determined by Supervisor
Position Description Title/PD#: Cook (Recruitment Event)/PD99818S

Physical Requirements: Subject to continuous standing, walking, frequent bending, reaching, pushing, and pulling. Lifts or moves objects weighing up to 40 lbs. unassisted. Manipulates cumbersome and heavy objects, such as washing stainless steel mixing bowls, pushing heavy carts on caster, or operating heavy equipment. Manual dexterity needed to safely operate equipment and to handle sharp knives and blades. Hand-eye coordination and ability to concentrate and react quickly to serve food and operate equipment.

Working Conditions: Performs work in areas of temperature extremes. Work is carried out in kitchen/dish room areas that are often hot, uncomfortable, and noisy. Environment includes exposure to extreme cold while working in walk-in refrigerators and freezers for extended periods of time to complete duties. Works with other cooks, food service workers, and supervisors. Exposed to stems, cooking odors, and noise from equipment and conversation. Subject to hazards of cuts, bruises, strains, burns and falls in kitchen equipment. Strong cleaning and sanitizing solutions may be skin and respiratory irritants. Performs work in patient care settings where there may be exposure to contagious disease. May have contact with patients who demonstrate verbally and/or physically aggressive behavior. Required to wear proper hair covering and clean uniform. Wear disposable gloves when handling food for service, and proper protective equipment when completing cleaning activities.

Conditions of employment

• You must be a U.S. citizen to apply for this job
• Subject to a background/suitability investigation
• Designated and/or random drug testing may be required
• May serve a probationary period
• Selective Service Registration is required for males born after 12/31/1959
• A complete application package; Resume, Transcripts, etc.
• Selected applicants will be required to complete an online onboarding process

Qualifications

To qualify for this position, applicants must meet all requirements by the closing date of this announcement.

Preferred Experience:

• 5 or more yrs culinary experience within the past 5 yrs, or degree in culinary arts
• ServSafe Manager certified

EXPERIENCE: A specific length of training and experience is not required, but you must show evidence of training or experience of sufficient scope and quality of your ability to do the work of this position. Evidence which demonstrates you possess the knowledge, skills, and ability to perform the duties of this position must be supported by detailed descriptions of such on your resume. Applicants will be rated in accordance with the OPM Federal Wage System Qualification Standards.

SCREEN-OUT ELEMENT: Your qualifications will first be evaluated against the prescribed screen out element, the ability to do the work of a Cook at the WG-6 level, without more than normal supervision (SCREEN-OUT): Duties include but are not limited to: Duties include but are not limited to: experience in a quantity food service healthcare environment, independently performing the following duties: Independently preparing and cooking a variety of items including regular and therapeutic diet (diabetic, low sodium, low protein, gluten free, etc.) entrees and dessert items, planning cooking processes to produce meals on time and at the proper temperature which may require coordination of cooking several items with different cooking times; portioning and serving food into standard service sizes; roasting, broiling, baking, frying, boiling, steaming, and stewing meats, fish, and poultry; preparing soups, stocks, broths, gravies, sauces, and puddings without the use of packaged mixes; adjusting standardized recipes for the number of servings required in large quantity cooking; slicing meat items by hand conforming to a specific size requirement or weight specification; maintaining proper temperature for all foods during holding, transport, reheating, and serving to assure quality control and food safety

Those applicants who appear to possess at least the minimal acceptable qualification requirement are considered for further rating; those who do not are rated ineligible and are eliminated. The potential eligibles are then rated against the remainder of the Job Elements:

• Dexterity and Safety
• Interpret Instructions, Specifications (other than blueprint reading)
• Materials
• Technical Practices
• Use and Maintain Tools and Equipment
• Without more than normal supervision
• Work Practices

Experience refers to paid and unpaid experience, including volunteer work done through National Service programs (e.g., Peace Corps, AmeriCorps) and other organizations (e.g., professional; philanthropic; religions; spiritual; community; student; social). Volunteer work helps build critical competencies, knowledge, and skills and can provide valuable training and experience that translates directly to paid employment. You will receive credit for all qualifying experience, including volunteer experience.

Note: A full year of work is considered to be 35-40 hours of work per week. Part-time experience will be credited on the basis of time actually spent in appropriate activities. Applicants wishing to receive credit for such experience must indicate clearly the nature of their duties and responsibilities in each position and the number of hours a week spent in such employment.

How you will be evaluated

You will be evaluated for this job based on how well you meet the qualifications above.

IN DESCRIBING YOUR EXPERIENCE, PLEASE BE CLEAR AND SPECIFIC. WE WILL NOT MAKE ASSUMPTIONS REGARDING YOUR EXPERIENCE. Applicants will be referred in the order in which they were received.

If applicants are interviewed for the position, performance-based interview questions will be used. For additional information regarding performance-based interviews, please review the following website on the internet: http://www.va.gov/pbi. In addition, candidates may be interviewed by a panel.