Health Technician (Dietetic)

The Health Technician (Dietetic) is assigned to Nutrition & Food Service located in Southern Arizona VA Healthcare System at Tucson, AZ. The Technician 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.

Qualifications:

To qualify for this position, applicants must meet all requirements by the closing date of this announcement, 04/21/2025.

Time-In-Grade Requirement: Advancement to positions up to GS-05. Candidates may be advanced without time restriction to positions up to GS-05 if the position to be filled is no more than two grades above the lowest grade the employee held within the preceding 52 weeks under his or her latest non-temporary competitive appointment.

For a GS-05 position you must have served at the GS-03 or GS-04 grade level. 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. 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: Have at least one (1) year of specialized experience equivalent to the GS-04 grade level in the Federal Service; experience that equipped the applicant with the particular knowledge, skills and abilities (KSA's) and other characteristics to perform successfully the duties of the position at the GS-05 grade level. This experience must have been equivalent to at least the GS-04 grade level in Federal Service. Examples of Specialized Experience includes but is not limited to: Experience in selecting regular and modified diets in order to ensure that patients are selecting food items that are in accordance of their prescribed diet; working with patients, and/or, customers to assess their nutrition needs, provide information or assistance; use computers, software applications, databases, and automated systems to accomplish work. NOTE: Transcripts (unofficial or official) must be submitted with your application materials. Education cannot be credited without documentation. ~OR~

EDUCATION: 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: 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 computers mouse use. 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 of 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/.

Responsibilities:

The technicians will collaborate with Dietitians regarding food/drug Interactions, notifying clinical staff of potential issues with meal service and delivery and taking direction regarding management. Duties 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

Work Schedule: Varies to the need of the facility
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

Salary : $41,907