Food Specialist IV

Job Posting Title

Food Specialist IV

650 DEPARTMENT OF VETERANS AFFAIRS

Lawton/Ft. Sill Veterans Home

Refer to the date listed at the top of this posting, if available. Continuous if date is blank.

February 05, 2026

Full time

Regular

$19.67 USD Hourly

Positions in this job family are involved in handling, preparing, cooking and serving food for regular, modified and special diets at a state hospital, school, facility or institution. This includes maintaining clean and sanitary work, preparation and serving areas.

• Prepares foods, salads, and desserts; cooks or bakes a variety of items.
• Supplies unit with meat, fish or fowl as ordered; cuts and prepares meat, poultry or fish.
• Cleans and prepares foods using tools such as knives, slicers and peelers and equipment such as ovens and steamers; follows written diet orders.
• Operates dishwasher; gathers, cleans, stacks and hand washes or scours pots, pans, dishes, silverware and other cooking and baking utensils.
• Removes refuse from kitchen area; sweeps mops and scrubs kitchen, dining and storage areas.
• Labels, loads and delivers food carts or trays; picks up trays after use.
• Defrosts and cleans refrigerators, walk-in coolers and related equipment.
• Operates state-owned cars, vans, and/or other motorized transportation.

At this level employees are assigned responsibility for the administration of a food service unit and activities of assigned staff, which may include employees, inmates, patients, and/or others in the preparation and serving of food in a state facility or institution. They provide direction to staff members in completing assigned work and ensuring completion of required activities. Responsibilities also include interpreting menus and menu instructions, ensuring proper hygiene and sanitation methods are followed, inspecting kitchen and dining areas, requisitioning supplies and maintaining a store room.

Three years of experience in a commercial or institutional food service or an equivalent combination of education and experience, substituting one year of vocational or technical school training in food preparation for required experience.

Knowledge of basic food preparation techniques; food service operations; proper sanitation practices; basic mathematics; ingredients used in baking and cooking; food storage, preparation and cooking; recipe usage; standard weights and measures; operation of kitchen equipment and utensils; practices and problems of meat storage and preparation; modern methods and materials used in large scale baking, cooking, and meat cutting; cutting, mixing and adding ingredients to all types of meat;

sanitary and health standards; supervisory principles and practices; basic nutrition; food service organization and operation; menu planning; recipe interpretation; principles of training; administrative principles.

Ability to carry out routine tasks to completion; follow oral and written instructions; establish and maintain effective working relationships; prepare and cook foods, baked goods and meat; use tools and knives; control food stock; communicate effectively; interpret and prepare special dietary menus; organize and supervise the work of others.

May require possession of a valid Oklahoma Driver’s License at time of appointment.

Some positions may require lifting 25 pounds. When conditional offer of employment, must submit to physical examination; lift/carry 50 pounds occasionally, 20 pounds frequently, push/pull 50 pounds. Some agencies may have determined positions in this job family to be safety sensitive as defined by 63 O.S. 427.8.

The State of Oklahoma is an equal opportunity employer and does not discriminate on the basis of genetic information, race, religion, color, sex, age, national origin, or disability.