Nutritionist

Class Concept

This position provides comprehensive, complex nutrition evaluation, treatment and follow-up services to children ages birth to three with a variety of medical/nutritional problems and developmental disabilities, acute, chronic, and terminally ill, or those characterized as medically high risk that are referred to or enrolled in the Infant Toddler Program. Work in this class involves providing professional nutritional services with a considerable amount of time being spent in providing comprehensive, complex nutrition services to clients and patients with a variety of medical/nutritional problems: or spending a significant amount of time in supervising a small local health nutrition program concentrating in the Special Supplemental Food Program for Women, Infants, Children (WIC) with some involvement in the areas of home health, family planning, prenatal and chronic disease programs. Position supervises a program and is responsible for program planning, organizing priorities and directives, recommending budgetary needs and monitoring expenditures, participating in various personnel functions, and supervising lower-level nutritionists and support staff. Position may provide training. Position usually reports to a higher-level nutritionist, clinician, or agency director.

Recruitment Requirements

Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities

• Basic knowledge of human behavior and techniques for effecting behavior change
• Intermediate knowledge of disease pathophysiology in relation to nutritional theories and practices
• Intermediate knowledge and skill in nutrition and dietary assessment techniques (anthropometric, biochemical, clinical and dietary), and in interpretation of data
• Thorough knowledge of principles of normal and therapeutic nutrition and drug and nutrient interaction at all stages of life
• Ability to write clear, concise entries in clients' health/medical records
• Ability to utilize interviewing and counseling processes and procedures
• Ability to understand individual's socio-economic status and lifestyles with respect for individual differences
• Ability to monitor and maintain quality standards of nutrition care using current standards of practice
• Ability to organize and manage time and resources
• Ability to communicate effectively in oral and written form and ability to supervise others

Minimum Education and Experience

Master's degree in dietetics, public health nutrition, or nutrition from an appropriately accredited institution and one year of related experience and holding the credential of Registered Dietitian Nutritionist (RD or RDN) with the Commission on Dietetic Registration of the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics; or Bachelor's degree in dietetics, public health nutrition, or nutrition from an appropriately accredited institution and two years of related experience and holding the credential of Registered Dietitian Nutritionist (RD or RDN) with the Commission on Dietetic Registration of the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics.