Food Services Specialist
What you'd do
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.
Major duties
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
What you need to qualify
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 https://www.opm.gov/policy-data-oversight/classification-qualifications/general-schedule-qualification-standards/. 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.
Before you apply
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