Clarification from the agency

This announcement is open to current, permanent employees of Department of Veterans Affairs Loma Linda employees ONLY.

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Major duties and responsibilities include:

• Handles patient meal service orders, and enters meal orders into Dietetics Software system
• Provides professional and courteous customer service via telephone, e-mail, and in-person
• Collaborates with Dietitians regarding Food/Drug Interactions, notifying clinical staff of potential issues with meal service and delivery
• Interprets and processes diet orders
• Prints, prepares, and reviews meal tickets
• Triages calls from inpatient units or outpatient clinics and procedure areas relating to patient meal trays or nourishments
• Retrieves computerized information/printouts to assist with tray and/or nourishment assembly such as standing orders, nourishment labels, tabulated recipe lists, and other simple information to assist in meal delivery
• Provides basic-level education and information on therapeutic diets
• Correctly interprets diet activity and patient information, to ensure meals trays contain food items adhering to patient requests and preferences, and current therapeutic diet order
• Communicates patient concerns with registered dietitian or dietetic technician
• Verifies physician orders for unusual diets, conflicting modifications, tube feeding orders and nutritional supplements
• Uses a computer to record, retrieve and print recipes, menus, and inventory reports
• Performs other related duties as assigned

DESIGNATED DRUG-TESTING POSITION: Applicants tentatively selected for VA employment in a testing designated position are subject to urinalysis to screen for illegal drug use prior to appointment. Applicants who refuse to be tested will be denied employment with VA. Applicants will not be appointed to the position if a verified positive drug test result is received.

Promotion Potential: The selectee may be promoted to the full performance level without further competition when all regulatory, qualification, and performance requirements are met. Selection at a lower grade level does not guarantee promotion to the full performance level.

Work Schedule: Varies, may include weekends and holidays.
Compressed/Flexible: Not available
Telework: Not available
Virtual: This is not a virtual position.
Position Description/PD#: Health Technician (Dietetic)/PD99855S
Relocation/Recruitment Incentives: Not Authorized.

Conditions of employment

• You must be a U.S. Citizen to apply for this job.
• All applicants tentatively selected for VA employment in a testing designated position are subject to urinalysis to screen for illegal drug use prior to appointment. Applicants who refuse to be tested will be denied employment with VA.
• Selective Service Registration is required for males born after 12/31/1959.
• Must be proficient in written and spoken English.
• You may be required to serve a probationary period.
• Subject to background/security investigation.
• Selected applicants will be required to complete an online onboarding process.
• Must pass pre-employment physical examination.
• Participation in the seasonal influenza vaccination program is a requirement for all Department of Veterans Affairs Health Care Personnel (HCP).

Qualifications

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

GS-03 grade level: Six (6) months of generalized experience. General experience includes progressively responsible clerical, office, or other work that indicates ability to acquire the particular knowledge and skills needed to perform the duties of the position to be filled.

OR

Applicants may substitute education for the experience required for the GS-03 level.
To qualify, must have completed one (1) year above high school that includes study in medical, health, or related fields.

OR

Applicants may also combine education and experience to qualify at the GS-03 level.
To calculate, must determine the applicant's education as a percentage of the education required for the grade level; then add the two percentages. The total percentage must equal at least 100 percent to qualify an applicant for that grade level.

GS-04 grade level: One (1) year of generalized experience. General experience includes progressively responsible clerical, office, or other work that indicates ability to acquire the particular knowledge and skills needed to perform the duties of the position to be filled.

OR

Applicants may substitute education for the experience required for the GS-04 level. To qualify, must have completed two (2) years of study that included at least 12 semester hours in subjects related to the position.

OR

Applicants may also combine education and experience to qualify at the GS-04 level. To calculate, must determine the applicant's education as a percentage of the education required for the grade level; then add the two percentages. The total percentage must equal at least 100 percent to qualify an applicant for that grade level.

GS-05 grade level: One (1) full year of specialized experience that equipped you with the knowledge, skills, and abilities to successfully perform the duties to perform the duties of the position to be filled. To be creditable, specialized experience must have been equivalent to at least the next lower grade level (GS-4) in the Federal service. Examples of specialized experience would typically include, but are not limited to:

1. Computerized medical record and Nutrition and Food Services COTS Dietetics Software programs.
2. Communicate effectively, both orally and in writing, in person and via telephone with people from a wide variety of backgrounds while maintaining good public relations and high level of customer service.
3. Computer operations and ability to use computer equipment, phone system and printers.
4. Knowledge of tray assembly area procedures for set up, assembly, tray distribution and pick-up; and nourishment and tube feeding distribution.
5. Organize work, analyze data, and work under time constraints.

OR

Applicants may substitute education for the experience required for the GS-05 level.
To qualify, must have completed a full 4-year course of study leading to a bachelor's degree, with major study or at least 24 semester hours in subjects directly related to the position.

OR

Applicants may also combine education and experience to qualify at the GS-05 level.
To calculate, only education in excess of the first 60 semester hours (i.e., beyond the second year) is creditable toward meeting the specialized experience requirement. One full academic year of study (30 semester hours) beyond the second year is equivalent to 6 months of specialized experience.

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.

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.