Summary

This position is in the Nutrition and Food Service at the Veterans Affairs Medical Center in Southern Arizona VA Healthcare System at Tucson - Arizona. The Health Technician (Dietetic) provides administrative and customer service support for the hospital food service program.

Qualifications

To qualify for this position - applicants must meet all requirements by the closing date of this announcement - 03/13/2026. 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-05 position you must have served 52 weeks at the GS-04. 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-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. OR - Education: Applicants may substitute education for the required experience. To qualify based on education for this grade level you must have successful completion of 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: Transcripts (unofficial or official) must be submitted with your application materials. Education cannot be credited without documentation. 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. Requires 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

• Major duties and responsibilities include - but not limited to: Handles patient meal service orders - and enter meal orders into Dietetics Software system Provides professional and courteous customer service via telephone - email - and in-person Collaborates with dietitians regarding food/drug interactions - notifying clinical staff of potential issues with meal service and delivery Interprets and processes diet orders Prints - prepares - and reviews meal tickets Triages calls from inpatient units or outpatient clinics and procedure areas relating to patient meal trays or nourishments Retrieves computerized information/printouts 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 basic-level education and information on therapeutic diets Correctly interprets diet activity and patient information to ensure meal trays contain food items adhering to patient requests and preferences - and current therapeutic diet order Communicates patient concerns with registered dietitian or dietetic technician Verifies physician orders for unusual diets - conflicting modifications - tube feeding orders and nutritional supplements Uses a computer to record - retrieve and print recipes - menus - and inventory reports Performs other related duties as assigned 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
• Promotion Potential: The selectee may be promoted to the full performance level without further competition when all regulatory - qualification - and performance requirements are met
• Selection at a lower grade level does not guarantee promotion to the full performance level
• Work Schedule: Full Time Schedule Varies Determined by Service Management Telework: This position is not authorized for telework
• Virtual: This is not a virtual position
• Position Description/PD#: Health Technician (Dietetic)/PD99835S Relocation/Recruitment Incentives: Not Authorized Permanent Change of Station (PCS): Not Authorized PCS Appraised Value Offer (AVO): Not Authorized