Dietitian, PRN

Vanderbilt University Medical Center•Nashville, TN

4d•Remote

About The Position

Located in Nashville, Tennessee, and operating at a global crossroads of teaching, discovery, and patient care, VUMC is a community of individuals who come to work each day with the simple aim of changing the world. It is a place where your expertise will be valued, your knowledge expanded, and your abilities challenged. Vanderbilt Health is committed to an environment where everyone has the chance to thrive and where your uniqueness is sought and celebrated. It is a place where employees know they are part of something that is bigger than themselves, take exceptional pride in their work and never settle for what was good enough yesterday. Vanderbilt’s mission is to advance health and wellness through preeminent programs in patient care, education, and research. We are seeking a PRN Registered Dietitian Nutritionist (RD Required) to join our team and support the DOSE Study, a multi-site, five-year clinical trial designed to identify optimal intervention strategies for effective weight loss in children with obesity. This research-based, fully remote position requires approximately 15 hours per week and involves no inpatient clinical responsibilities. The nutritionist will work closely with participating families, through virtual telehealth sessions, to deliver personalized nutrition counseling using a motivational interviewing-based approach focused on seven key health behavior targets: fruits and vegetables, snacks, sugar-sweetened beverages, physical activity, healthy sleep, healthy media use, and engaged parenting. Sessions will follow a structured guide that includes assessing weight changes and progress toward goals, delivering evidence-based nutrition education and medical nutrition therapy for obesity, and identifying barriers to healthy behavior change. In addition to counseling, the nutritionist will adhere to study protocols, monitor intervention fidelity, and collaborate with the research team to ensure successful implementation of all study phases. Approximately five hours per week will be dedicated to administrative tasks and attending relevant meetings. The ideal candidate will hold a Registered Dietitian Nutritionist (RD/RDN) credential, with Tennessee licensure preferred (or willingness to obtain if hired). Previous experience applying motivational interviewing techniques to counsel families, particularly those with high social needs or from rural backgrounds, is essential, and research experience is preferred. Strong communication skills and the ability to work collaboratively within a team environment are critical. Scheduling flexibility is required, as the position includes two evening counseling sessions per week (approximately five hours each) and the possibility of one Saturday morning session per month. Bilingual proficiency in English and Spanish is preferred. This role offers an opportunity to make a meaningful impact on families across middle Tennessee, as the study will enroll 450 children between the ages of 5 and 17 and their parents or caregivers. The intervention will be delivered via telehealth and supported by an online, on-demand platform. In this PRN role, your work will be 100% remote and as mentioned previously, you will have 1-2 sessions weekly, predominantly occurring during weekday evening hours with the possibility of 1 Saturday monthly. The department will extend flexibility with scheduling. The Department of Pediatrics at VUMC is one of the largest departments within the medical center and we are proud to be home to some 460 primary faculty, 270 community-based volunteer faculty, 82 clinical fellows, 127 residents, and over 300 administrative and research staff. The Department is rooted in a rich history of commitment to excellence in research, education, and patient care. Our faculty, clinicians, fellows, and trainees represent the very best of academic medicine – extraordinary people doing incredible things to advance the care for children in Middle Tennessee, across the nation, and throughout the world. The result is a Department which reaches far beyond the walls of our hospital to provide high-quality patient care, to train the next generation of leaders in pediatric medicine, and to advance our knowledge of important conditions that affect vulnerable infants and children through world class research. For more information, please visit https://pediatrics.vumc.org/message-chair .

Requirements

Bachelor’s Degree (or equivalent experience)
TN-state issued Registered Dietitian Nutrition credential; this credential is required to be hired but must be willing to obtain if hired.
A background in Health Behavior/Health Education, Dietetics, or Nutrition is required.
RD/RDN license required.
Experience working with children and adults is required.

Nice To Haves

A minimum of 24 months of experience in these areas is preferred.
Experience in health communication skills such as motivational interviewing and shared goal setting is preferred as is experience working with underserved populations.
Bilingual in English and Spanish is preferred.

Responsibilities

Provides medical nutrition therapy, including nutrition counseling and education, to participants using evidence-based nutrition practice guidelines and appropriate instructional methods and tools.
Facilitate care coordination with other study interventionists.
Problem-solve with study team to ensure high fidelity of the curriculum.
Contributes to the success of the study by actively participating in process improvement initiatives and shared decision making.
Adhere to study protocols around intervention implementation, including fidelity monitoring.
Regularly completes quality check protocols to ensure data have been entered correctly, efficiently, and effectively.
Participate in participant retention efforts.
Work well with other team members, including adhering to professional communication standards.
Maintains professional documentation which meets department and VUMC standards as it relates to compliance.
Nutritionist should be organized and self-directed.
Nutritionist must have reliable internet access.