Food Services Specialist

Summary The position is in the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA), Veterans Health Administration (VHA), at a VA Medical Center (VAMC) in Nutrition and Food Services. As Food Service Specialist, the incumbent is fully responsible for the culinary technical standard ensuring that efficient, safe and high-quality food services are provided to the Veteran, both inpatient and outpatient. Responsibilities Duties include but are not limited to: Identifies current culinary industry trends and incorporates state-of-the art processes, equipment, and programs in the delivery of customer-focused feeding operations. Creates and tests specialized recipes and develops specialized food preparation methods to meet customer needs. Applies advanced culinary techniques which minimize the use of restricted nutrients to develop refined and patient pleasing flavors, textures, and presentations. Adjusts menus for cultural and religious practices and preferences. Performs quality control on plate presentation, recipe compliance, taste quality control, plate waste studies and overall culinary controls. Develops culinary performance and quality improvement initiatives for food service operations. Attends focus groups and implements strategies to meet customer satisfaction within clinical nutrition services. Assesses current state of food services and makes recommendations on improvement/changes. Plans future advancements to include new techniques, procurement, and production needs. Creates specialized food menus, recipes and service techniques to include diets for multiple medical conditions, modifications in micro/macro nutrients, food allergies, sensitivities and food consistencies. Forecasts needed food items based on advanced understanding of edible portions, yield, and waste factors. Identifies issues, deficiencies, or improvements, especially in food production, productivity, safety and quality and takes immediate corrective action. Conducts product samplings with vendors, keeps current on new food product availability. Researches, advises, trains, and educates in the advancement of culinary arts. Advises on culinary standards of food service and contracts related to food and subsistence matters and operations. Provides budgetary input/advise on food service subsistence needs, future budgetary requests for food service and culinary program advancements. Coordinates all resources including the equipment, labor and ingredients in the consistent delivery of high-quality foods. Manages food service and food distribution contracts and oversees subsistence/supply ordering. Advises on long-range planning to ensure efficient and effective requirements of equipment, food preparation, quality, as well as, food service facilities, training, and personnel concerns. Work Schedule: Monday- Friday 7:00am-4:00pm Telework: AD-HOC ONLY Virtual: This is not a virtual position. Position Description/PD#: Food Services Specialist/PD99847S Relocation/Recruitment Incentives: Not Authorized Permanent Change of Station (PCS): Not Authorized Requirements Conditions of Employment You must be a U.S. Citizen to apply for this job To be considered for this position, you must complete all required steps in the process. In addition to the application and questionnaire, this position requires an online assessment. The online assessment measures critical general competencies required to perform the job. Selective Service Registration is required for males born after 12/31/1959 Physical Requirements: The work required does not inherently include any physical requirements essential for successful job performance that could not otherwise be performed with accommodation or workplace adjustment. A pre-placement physical examination is not required. Subject to background/security investigation Selected applicants will be required to complete an online onboarding process. Acceptable form(s) of identification will be required to complete pre-employment requirements ( Effective May 7, 2025, driver's licenses or state-issued identification cards that are not REAL ID compliant cannot be utilized as an acceptable form of identification for employment. Participation in the seasonal influenza vaccination program is a requirement for all Department of Veterans Affairs Health Care Personnel (HCP) As a condition of employment for accepting this position, you will be required to serve a 1-year probationary period or 2-year trial period during which we will evaluate your fitness and whether your continued employment advances the public interest. In determining if your employment advances the public interest, we may consider: your performance and conduct; the needs and interests of the agency; whether your continued employment would advance organizational goals of the agency or the Government; and whether your continued employment would advance the efficiency of the Federal service. Upon completion of your probationary period, your employment will be terminated unless you receive certification, in writing, that your continued employment advances the public interest. Qualifications To qualify for this position, applicants must meet all requirements by the closing date of this announcement, 08/25/2026. Time-In-Grade Requirement: Applicants who are current Federal employees and have held a GS grade any time in the past 52 weeks must also meet time-in-grade requirements by the closing date of this announcement. For a GS-11 position you must have served 52 weeks at the GS-09. The grade may have been in any occupation, but must have been held in the Federal service. An SF-50 that shows your time-in-grade eligibility must be submitted with your application materials. If the most recent SF-50 has an effective date within the past year, it may not clearly demonstrate you possess one-year time-in-grade, as required by the announcement. In this instance, you must provide an additional SF-50 that clearly demonstrates one-year time-in-grade. Note: Time-In-Grade requirements also apply to former Federal employees applying for reinstatement as well as current employees applying for Veterans Employment Opportunities Act of 1998 (VEOA) appointment. You may qualify based on your experience and/or education as described below: Specialized Experience: You must have one year of specialized experience equivalent to at least the next lower grade GS-09 in the normal line of progression for the occupation in the organization. Examples of specialized experience would typically include, but are not limited to: : overseeing food service operations; identifying and resolving issues; knowledge of culinary procedures; maintaining inventory; knowledge of food service production equipment; assisting with inspecting food for quality; using a computer to perform administrative duties; and providing courteous and efficient customer service. NOTE: Applicants wishing to receive credit for such experience must clearly indicate the nature of their duties and responsibilities in each position and the number of hours a week spent in such employment. OR, Education: Applicants may substitute education for the required experience. To qualify based on education for this grade level you must have successfully completed a Ph.D. or equivalent doctoral degree OR three (3) full years of progressively higher-level graduate education leading to such a degree in a related field. This education must include courses that demonstrate the knowledges, skills, and abilities necessary to do the work of this position. This education must include courses that demonstrate the knowledge, skills, and abilities necessary to do the work of this position. Education must have been obtained in an accredited college, or university. NOTE: Transcripts (unofficial or official) must be submitted with your application materials. Education cannot be credited without documentation. OR, Combination: Applicants may also combine education and experience to qualify at this level, you must have equivalent combinations of successfully completed graduate level education (beyond a master's degree) and specialized experience as described above to meet total experience requirements. NOTE: Transcripts (unofficial or official) must be submitted with your application materials. Education cannot be credited without documentation. For more information on these qualification standards, please visit the United States Office of Personnel Management's website at Preferred Expereince: Culinary Quality Management Serves as the technical and quality expert of culinary standards. Analyzes and performs quality improvement tasks for menus and food service arrangements. Identifies current culinary industry trends and incorporates state-of-the art processes, equipment, and programs in the delivery of customer-focused feeding operations. Creates and tests specialized recipes and develops specialized food preparation methods to meet the needs of the Veteran population. Applies advanced culinary techniques which minimize the use of restricted nutrients to develop refined and patient pleasing flavors, textures and presentations. Creates specialized food service menus, recipes and service techniques offered in a hospital setting to include diets for multiple medical conditions, including modifications in micro and or macro nutrients, food allergies, sensitivities and food consistencies, which are reviewed and approved by the Supervisory Dietitian. Adjusts menus for cultural and religious practices and preferences. Develops and implements seasonal menus reflecting local demographics, agricultural availability and regional techniques relevant to Veteran population. Each year assesses current state of food services and proposes future changes to remain competitively on par with private sector. Plans future advancement in food services, to include new techniques, procurement and production needs. Education A transcript must be submitted with your application if you are basing all or part of your qualifications on education. Note: Only education or degrees recognized by the U.S. Department of Education from accredited colleges, universities, schools, or institutions may be used to qualify for Federal employment. You can verify your education here: If you are using foreign education to meet qualification requirements, you must send a Certificate of Foreign Equivalency with your transcript in order to receive credit for that education. For further information, visit: Additional Information Under the Fair Chance to Compete Act, the Department of Veterans Affairs prohibits requesting an applicant's criminal history prior to accepting a tentative job offer. For more information about the Act and the complaint process, visit Human Resources and Administration/Operations, Security, and Preparedness (HRA/OSP) at The Fair Chance Act. Reasonable Accommodation (RA) Requests: If you believe you have a disability (i.e., physical or mental), covered by the Rehabilitation Act of 1973 as amended that would interfere with completing the USA Hire Competency Based Assessments, you will be granted the opportunity to request a RA in your online application. Requests for RA for the USA Hire Competency Based Assessments and appropriate supporting documentation for RA must be received prior to starting the USA Hire Competency Based Assessments. Decisions on requests for RA are made on a case-by-case basis. If you meet the minimum qualifications of the position, after notification of the adjudication of your request, you will receive an email invitation to complete the USA Hire Competency Based Assessments, based on your adjudication decision. You must complete all assessments within 48 hours of receiving the URL to access the USA Hire Competency Based Assessments if you received the link after the close of the announcement. To determine if you need a RA, please review the Procedures for Requesting a Reasonable Accommodation for Online Assessments. This job opportunity announcement may be used to fill additional vacancies. The Interagency Career Transition Assistance Plan (ICTAP) and Career Transition Assistance Plan (CTAP) provide eligible displaced VA competitive service employees with selection priority over other candidates for competitive service vacancies. To be qualified you must submit appropriate documentation (a copy of the agency notice, your most recent performance rating, and your most recent SF-50 noting current position, grade level, and duty location) and be found well-qualified for this vacancy. To be well-qualified: applicants must possess experience that exceeds the minimum qualifications of the position including all selective factors, and who are proficient in most of the required competencies of the job. Information about ICTAP and CTAP eligibility is on OPM's Career Transition Resources website at