Summary

This position is located in the Nutrition and Food Service at the VA Maine Healthcare System located in Togus - Maine. The person in this position prepares nutritious - high quality meals for service to the Veterans. This position is a full-time position at 40 hours per week. This is an OPEN CONTINUOUS ANNOUNCEMENT and will remain open until September 30 - 2025.

Qualifications

To qualify for this position - applicants must meet all requirements by the closing date of this announcement. EXPERIENCE: A specific length of training and experience is not required - but you must show evidence of training or experience of sufficient scope and quality of your ability to do the work of this position. Evidence which demonstrates you possess the knowledge - skills - and ability to perform the duties of this position must be supported by detailed descriptions of such on your resume. Applicants will be rated in accordance with the OPM Federal Wage System Qualification Standards. SCREEN-OUT ELEMENT: Your qualifications will first be evaluated against the prescribed screen out element - which usually appears as question 1 in the on-line questionnaire. Those applicants who appear to possess at least the minimal acceptable qualification requirement are considered for further rating; those who do not are rated ineligible and are eliminated. The potential eligible are then rated against the remainder of the Job Elements: Dexterity and Safety Interpret Instructions - Specifications (other than blueprint reading) Materials Technical Practices Use and Maintain Tools and Equipment Without more than normal supervision Work Practices 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. Physical Efforts: Cooks at this grade level perform work requiring continual standing and walking - and frequent stooping - reaching - pushing and pulling - and bending. They frequently lift or move objects weighing up to 18 kilograms (40 pounds) unassisted - and occasionally lift or move objects weighing over 18 kilograms (40 pounds) with the assistance of lifting devices or other workers. Working Conditions: The work is performed in kitchen areas which are well lighted but are often hot and noisy. The cooks are exposed to steam - fumes - and odors from cooking and to extreme temperature changes when entering walk-in refrigeration or freezing units. There is danger of slipping on wet floors that have been recently mopped or where food has been spilled. They are subject to possible cuts from knives and burns from steam - hot foods - stoves - and hot grease and water. Note: A full year of work is considered to be 35-40 hours of work per week. Part-time experience will be credited on the basis of time actually spent in appropriate activities. Applicants wishing to receive credit for such experience must indicate clearly the nature of their duties and responsibilities in each position and the number of hours a week spent in such employment.

Duties

• The person in this position organizes and coordinates the work of lower grade cooks at one or more work centers in a production kitchen in order to accomplish a variety of quantity cooking operations
• Major duties and responsibilities include: Independently prepares all types of food for regular and modified diets Prepares - cooks - seasons - and portions food for all meals so that the completed food products are ready at the appropriate temperature and time and are visually appealing to customers Prepares menu items using special or difficult recipes that require numerous interrelated steps - many ingredients - and lengthy preparation time Calculates and determines serving portions from quantities of food issued to include meats - poultry - seafood - vegetables - fruits - sauces - and gravies for regular and modified diets Coordinates the cooking of items prepared by other cooks at one or more work centers Grills eggs - meat patties - pancakes - French toast
• broils meats
• makes cold sandwich fillings and assembles a variety of sandwiches Uses a variety of methods to prepare meats - fish - and poultry including broiling - roasting - baking - frying - boiling - steaming - stewing - braising - and grilling Slices meat items by hand - confirming to specific size requirements or weight specifications Prepares fresh - canned - and frozen vegetables
• bakes frozen potatoes - pre-made cookie dough - and muffin batters Prepares and heats convenience items - and prepares pureed foods and adjusts consistency with thickeners Washes - peels - and cuts fruits and vegetables
• assembles and mixes salad ingredients and dessert items - including gelatin molds and fruit crisps Makes a variety of desserts such as cobblers - brownies - cookies - and pastries Tests and evaluates new food products Develops and modifies standardized recipes Advises lower grade food service workers and cooks on tray assembly issues - dishwashing procedures - and quality control issues - such as plating techniques - tray arrangements - and practices to maintain temperatures Promotion Potential: This position is at the full performance level
• Work Schedule: 5:30am - 2:00pm or 11:00am - 7:30pm -The schedule will be determined based on the Medical Center needs weekends are expected
• Compressed/Flexible Schedule: Not Applicable Position Description Title/PD#: Cook - WG-7404-08/ PD #99817-S Relocation/Recruitment Incentives: Not authorized Notifications: This is an Not Bargaining Unit position
• This position is in the Competitive Service
• Must pass pre-employment physical examination
• This position is covered by locality-based comparability pay
• Current and former Federal employees must submit copies of their most recent SF-50
• The SF-50 must identify the position title - series - grade - step - tenure and type of service Competitive or Excepted
• In some cases - more than one SF-50 may be required to show a higher grade previously held
• Applications will be accepted on an ongoing basis and qualified candidates will be considered as vacancies become available
• Applications will remain active for 1 months after the initial application is received and/or updated
• After that time - you must update your application through your USA Jobs account if you would like to be made active again for possible consideration during the open period.