Summary

These Health Tech (Dietetic) positions are in the Nutrition and Food Services at the VA Boston Healthcare Systems - located at the West Roxbury location. These position are (1) part-time and (2) full-time from 24 (PT) to 40 (FT) hours per week.

Qualifications

To qualify for this position - applicants must meet all requirements by the closing date of this announcement - 10/14/2025. 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-04 in the normal line of progression for the occupation in the organization. Examples of specialized experience would typically include - but are not limited to: experience where you applied knowledge of quantity food service operations - proper nutrition - food items and appropriate quantities; working with clients - patients - and/or - customers to assess their needs - provide information or assistance - resolve their problems - or satisfy their expectations; use computers - software applications - databases - and automated systems to accomplish work. NOTE: Experience must be fully documented on your resume and must include job title - duties - month and year start/end dates AND hours worked per week. 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 full four (4) year course of study leading to a bachelor's degree - with a major study or at least 24 semester hours in subjects directly related to this 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 (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 an equivalent combination of successfully completed post-high school education (beyond the second year) and specialized experience - as listed above. The education portion must include courses directly related to the work of 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 college or university. NOTE: Your experience must be documented in your resume and transcripts are required. You will be rated on the following Competencies for this position: Communication Computer Skills Customer Service Food Service 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. 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. Physical Requirements: The work requires walking - standing - bending - lifting and carrying of light items - such as food trays - instruction materials - books - and manuals. NCC Associate functions require long periods of sitting and moving about in an office environment - including repetitive motion activities of the hands and fingers for extensive keyboard and computer mouse use - and office tasks such as answering and holding a telephone phone - and writing. The work may require walking indoors - outdoors or to and from other areas of the medical center. It may be necessary to lift and/or push equipment. Incumbent is subject to periods continuous standing - sitting - walking and frequent stooping - reaching - pushing - pulling - and bending. Frequently lifts or moves objects weighing up to 20 pounds. 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/.

Duties

• This is an open continuous announcement until 10/14/2025
• Qualified applicants will be considered and referred as vacancies become available
• The primary purpose of the position is to provide administrative and customer service support for the VA hospital food service program
• The incumbent performs routine duties that require exceptional customer service - computer skills - proper phone etiquette - proficiency in special food service and therapeutic diet procedures - a broad knowledge of routine modified diets - combinations of diet modifications and knowledge of Commercial Off the Shelf (COTS) Dietetics software and required functions
• Major duties and responsibilities include: Provides professional and courteous customer service
• Communicates with customers in a pleasant - friendly - personable - and professional manner via telephone and in-person
• Utilizes dietetic software programs to retrieve diet orders - recipes - and menu and inventory data
• Prints and assembles tray ticket packets in accordance with local facility policies and procedures.
• Properly operates telephone equipment to transfer or place calls on hold
• Triages calls from inpatient units or outpatient clinics and procedure areas relating to patient meal trays or nourishments
• Provides basic-level education and information on therapeutic diets to patients - guests - and nursing staff
• Resolves customer and/or patient complaints
• Utilizes knowledge of basic and routine modified diets to identify problems in diet order information and take appropriate corrective action
• Correctly interprets diet activity and patient information - to ensure appropriate food items on meals trays
• Verifies physician orders for unusual diets - conflicting modifications - tube feeding orders and nutritional supplements
• Assist with food selections - ensuring appropriateness of menu selections for complex diets
• Answers the telephone using proper business etiquette
• Attends to both verbal and nonverbal aspects of communication
• DESIGNATED DRUG-TESTING POSITION: Applicants tentatively selected for VA employment in a testing designated position are subject to urinalysis to screen for illegal drug use prior to appointment
• Applicants who refuse to be tested will be denied employment with VA
• Applicants will not be appointed to the position if a verified positive drug test result is received
• Work Schedule: Monday- Wednesday 10:00 a.m.- 6:30 p.m.
• off Thursday-Sunday (PT) or Wednesday-Saturday 5:30 a.m
• - 2:00 p.m. - Sunday 10 a.m
• - 6:30 p.m. - off Mon-Tue (FT-1) or Thursday - Monday 10:00 a.m
• - 6:30 p.m
• off Tues/Wed (FT-2) Compressed/Flexible: Not Authorized Position Description: PD99796-S - PD99796S - and PD99796S Telework: Not Authorized Virtual: This is not a virtual position Relocation/Recruitment Incentives: Not Authorized Permanent Change of Station (PCS): Not Authorized Financial Disclosure Report: Not required Notifications: This position is covered by locality-based comparability pay
• This position is a NAGE Bargaining Unit position
• Current Federal employees may submit copies of their most recent SF-50 - (Notice of Personnel Action)
• 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
• Veterans' preference does not apply for Direct Hire announcements
• Incomplete applications will not be considered
• May have to travel to other Boston locations.