Dietitian (Clinical)

Veterans Health Administration • Columbus, GA

19h • Hybrid

About The Position

The Department of Veterans Affairs Nutrition and Food Services is hiring a Clinical Dietitian in Columbus, Georgia. Clinical Dietitians coordinate nutritional care for Veterans in collaboration with health care providers, Veterans, caregivers, and the community. They also work with the Food Operations Section to improve the dining experience and patient satisfaction. The dietitian practices in accordance with Nutrition and Food Service directives, policies and procedures, and VA regulations, and may be assigned to any nutrition practice area.

The role involves conducting comprehensive nutrition assessments using the Nutritional Care Process (NCP), including nutrition-focused physical examinations; establishing nutrition diagnoses and assessing malnutrition risk or severity; calculating nutrient requirements and diet restrictions; identifying nutrition-support needs and recommending appropriate support; and communicating with the health care team. The dietitian supports continuous improvement in safe, quality Veteran care and complies with The Joint Commission and other accrediting standards.

The regular schedule is Monday through Friday, 8:00 a.m. to 4:30 p.m., subject to change based on agency needs. Ad hoc telework is available; this is not a virtual position. The vacancy’s full-performance level is GS-11, and the selection grade range is GS-7 through GS-11. Clinical Dietitians at the entry level work under the guidance of a full-performance or higher-level Dietitian while developing their clinical skills.

Requirements

• U.S. citizenship, subject to the stated statutory exception for non-citizens when qualified citizens cannot be recruited.
• Registration as a Registered Dietitian Nutritionist (RDN) through the Commission on Dietetic Registration (CDR), or eligibility for a temporary appointment under the stated non-credentialed Dietitian exception.
• Proficiency in spoken and written English.
• For the non-credentialed temporary-appointment exception: a bachelor's degree or higher from a U.S. regionally accredited college or university, or foreign equivalent, and completion of an ACEND-accredited experiential or supervised-practice program with a verification statement establishing eligibility to take the CDR registration examination.
• Non-credentialed Dietitians must actively pursue registration and obtain it within one year of appointment, as required by the announcement.
• For GS-09: at least one year of experience equivalent to the next lower grade, or a master's degree from a regionally accredited university or college; and knowledge of accrediting and regulatory requirements and virtual technology for nutrition care; ability to deliver care using the NCP, apply evidence-based nutrition practices, develop patient-centered goals, collect performance-improvement data, and collaborate with stakeholders.
• For GS-11: at least one year of experience as an RDN equivalent to the next lower grade; skill in delivering care using the NCP, interpreting research and applying evidence-based nutrition practices, developing patient-centered goals, analyzing performance-improvement data, collaborating with stakeholders, and complying with accrediting, regulatory, and agency authorities.
• Meet applicable pre-employment conditions, including background/security investigation, pre-employment physical examination, required identification and onboarding requirements, seasonal influenza vaccination, and Selective Service registration for males born after December 31, 1959.
• Serve a one- or two-year trial period, as specified for the appointment.
• Education used to qualify must be recognized by the U.S. Department of Education and come from an accredited institution; foreign education requires a Certificate of Foreign Equivalency and transcript.

Responsibilities

• Conduct comprehensive nutrition assessments using the Nutritional Care Process, including nutrition-focused physical examinations.
• Establish nutrition diagnoses and determine risk and/or degree of malnutrition.
• Calculate nutrient requirements and determine diet restrictions and food-drug interactions, tailoring diet prescriptions to individual patients.
• Identify patients who need nutritional support, recommend an appropriate mode of support, and communicate with the health care team.
• Coordinate nutritional care with health care providers, Veterans, caregivers, and the community.
• Collaborate with the Food Operations Section to improve the Veterans' dining experience and patient satisfaction.
• Support continuous improvement in the safety and quality of Veteran care.
• Comply with The Joint Commission requirements and other accrediting agency standards.
• Perform other related duties as assigned.

Benefits

• Federal employees and their families have access to a comprehensive federal benefits package; specific benefit eligibility depends on position type.
• Selected applicants may request prior work or military service credit toward annual leave accrual, subject to approval and not guaranteed.

What This Job Offers

• Job Type: Full-time
• Career Level: Entry Level