Health Technician; Dietetic

Overview

This position is located in the Nutrition and Food Service (N&FS) of the VA Medical Center in Lake City - FL serving as a Nutrition Communication Center (NCC) Associate - providing administrative and customer service support for the VA hospital food service program.

To qualify for this position - applicants must meet all requirements by the closing date of this announcement. Individual Occupational Requirement:
Positions in this series range widely in type and include support duties to medical or health personnel such as audiologists - speech pathologists - medical officers - and optometrists. Therefore - technician experience is experience that required application of the knowledge - methods - and techniques of the position to be filled OR successful completion of 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.

To qualify for this position at the GS-5 grade level - you must meet one of the following:
Specialized

Experience:

At least one (1) year of specialized experience equivalent to the next lower grade level (GS-04) in the Federal Service that has given you the particular knowledge - skills and abilities required to successfully perform the duties of this Health Technician (Dietetic) position. Specialized experience includes performing duties in food service in a hospital environment; tray delivery and knowledge of tray assembly area procedures;

using dietetics software programs; familiarity with regular and modified diets; assisting with food selections; following verbal and written instructions; and using computer equipment - phone system - and printers. This position requires effective communication skills both verbally and in writing and good 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 Applicants may substitute education for the experience required for the GS-05 level.

Education:

A bachelor's degree or four (4) years of education above the high school level with major study or at least 24 semester hours in subjects directly related to the position (i.e. nutrition - dietary therapy - food and nutrition science - food service systems management - etc.). This education must have been obtained in an accredited business or technical school - junior college - college or university for which high school graduation or the equivalent is the normal prerequisite.

NOTE:

Transcripts must be submitted with your application materials. Education cannot be credited without documentation OR Applicants may also combine education and experience to qualify at the GS-05 level. Combination:
An equivalent combination of successfully completed post-high school education (beyond the second year) and specialized experience - as described above - which meet the total qualification requirements for this grade level. This education must have been obtained at an accredited business - secretarial or technical school - junior college - college or university.

NOTE:

Your experience must be documented in your resume and transcripts are required. Experience refers to paid and unpaid experience - including volunteer work done through National Service programs (e.g.

- Peace Corps - Ameri Corps) 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.

• Major
  
  Duties Include:
  
  Has a broad knowledge of routing modified diets - combinations of diet modifications and commercial off-the-shelf (COTS) dietetics software;
  Handles patient meal service orders in person or by phone;
  Interacts with Veterans - dietitians - nursing staff - and other medical center employees;
  Receives patient meal orders and preferences - meal and nourishment requests from nursing - clinical staff - and other members of the interdisciplinary team;
  Takes whatever action necessary - within authority - to maximize patient satisfaction with meal service;
  Completes select and non-select menus as required;
  Retrieves computerized information 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 education and information on local facility therapeutic diets to patients - guests - and nursing staff;
  Assists patients in selection of the proper foods according to their individual diet;
  Performs clerical and administrative duties in support of the service;
  Performs other related duties as assigned
• Work Schedule:
  
  6:00 am - 6:00 pm with rotating weekends…