Dietitian (Clinical)

Serve as the nutrition expert for Veterans by delivering evidence-based medical nutrition therapy, conducting comprehensive assessments, and developing personalized care plans. Partner with interdisciplinary teams, caregivers, and community resources to improve health outcomes, promote whole health, and enhance the Veteran experience through high-quality nutrition care.

Major duties include, but are not limited to:

• Conduct comprehensive nutrition assessments utilizing the Nutrition Care Process (NCP), including nutrition-focused physical examinations, to identify nutrition-related problems and determine malnutrition risk or status.
• Develop, implement, monitor, and evaluate individualized Medical Nutrition Therapy (MNT) plans for Veterans with a variety of acute, chronic, and complex medical conditions. Modify interventions as needed to achieve positive patient outcomes.
• Calculate nutritional requirements and prescribe appropriate dietary modifications, including consideration of nutrient needs, food-drug interactions, and therapeutic diet restrictions.
• Identify Veterans requiring nutrition support and recommend appropriate interventions while collaborating with physicians, nursing staff, and other healthcare professionals to coordinate care.
• Document nutrition assessments, diagnoses, interventions, monitoring, and evaluation activities in the electronic health record using established documentation standards and formats.
• Provide individualized and group nutrition education and counseling using evidence-based strategies and Veteran-centered approaches to support self-management and healthy lifestyle behaviors.
• Participate as an active member of interdisciplinary healthcare teams to support comprehensive treatment planning and continuity of care for Veterans.
• Utilize telehealth and virtual care technologies to improve access to clinical nutrition services for Veterans.
• Maintain workload productivity standards, accurate records, and required reports in accordance with facility and agency requirements.
• Support quality improvement and performance improvement initiatives by collecting, analyzing, and reporting data to enhance nutrition care delivery and patient outcomes.
• Ensure compliance with Veterans Health Administration policies, professional standards, accrediting body requirements, and related regulatory guidelines governing nutrition care services.
• Collaborate with Nutrition and Food Service operations to improve the Veteran dining experience and promote patient satisfaction with food and nutrition services.

Applicants with Long Term Care experience will be considered the most qualified.
Work Schedule: Mon-Fri 8:00am-4:30pm
Telework: Not available.
Virtual: This is not a virtual position.

Basic Requirements:

• United States Citizenship: Non-citizens may only be appointed when it is not possible to recruit qualified citizens in accordance with VA Policy.
• Registered Dietitian Nutritionist (RDN) or Registered Dietitian (RD) - Must be registered with the Commission on Dietetic Registration (CDR) the credentialing branch of the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics formerly known as the American Dietetic Association (ADA).
  • Exception for GS-07 and GS-09 Only: Dietitians who do not possess the RDN/RD credential. Non-credentialed Dietitians who otherwise meet the basic qualification requirements and have fulfilled the requirements below, but do not possess the RDN credential, may be given a full-time temporary appointment not to exceed one year under the authority of 38 U.S.C. 7405(c)(2). May only be appointed at the GS-07 or GS-09 level and may not be promoted/converted until they obtain their RDN credential.
    • Non-credentialed Dietitians must have fulfilled each of the following:
      • Earned a bachelor's or higher degree from a U.S. regionally accredited college or university or foreign equivalent. Foreign Education: To be creditable, college and/or university degrees earned outside the U.S and its territories must be evaluated by ACEND and meet ACEND's International Dietitian Education standards which are designed to provide graduates with the knowledge and competencies to sit for the CDR credentialing exam. ~AND~
      • Completed an ACEND accredited experiential or supervised practice program and provide a verification statement from the program director that conveys eligibility to take the CDR registration exam as a prospective RDN. A list of ACEND accredited programs are located on the ACEND website or at ACEND Accredited Programs Directory.

Current VHA Dietitians that qualify based on being covered by the Grandfathering Provision may not be promoted to a higher grade if they do not meet the current RDN/RD requirements.

Grade Determinations:

GS-07 Dietitian (Clinical) (Entry Level Developmental) - No additional requirements beyond the basic requirements.

GS-09 Dietitian (Clinical) (Developmental) - Experience/Education Requirement: In addition to meeting the basic requirements, to qualify for the GS-09 you must have at least 1 year of experience equivalent to the next lower grade level (GS-7) OR a master's degree from a regionally accredited university or college in the field of dietetics or closely related field. Your experience or education must demonstrate the following Knowledge, Skills and Abilities:

• Knowledge of various accrediting and regulatory requirements.
• Knowledge of virtual technology to provide nutrition care.
• Ability to deliver patient care using the NCP (e.g., assessment, diagnosis, intervention, monitoring and evaluation).
• Ability to apply evidence-based nutrition practices to improve patient outcomes.
• Ability to develop patient-centered goals.
• Ability to collect data for performance improvement studies.
• Ability to collaborate with stakeholders.

GS-11 Dietitian (Clinical) (Full Performance Level) Experience Requirement: In addition to meeting the basic requirements, to qualify for the GS-11 up must possess at least 1 year of experience as an RDN/RD equivalent to the next lower grade level (GS-09) which demonstrates the following Knowledge, Skills and Abilities:

• Skill in delivering patient care using the Nutrition Care Process (NCP) (e.g., assessment, diagnosis, intervention, monitoring, and evaluation).
• Skill in interpreting research to apply evidence-based nutrition practices to improve patient outcomes.
• Skill in developing patient-centered goals.
• Skill in analyzing data for performance improvement studies.
• Skill in collaborating with stakeholders.
• Ability to comply with various accrediting, regulatory and agency authorities.

Reference: For more information on this qualification standard, please visit https://www.va.gov/ohrm/QualificationStandards/.

The full performance level of this vacancy is GS-11.

Physical Requirements: The work required does not inherently include any physical requirements essential for successful job performance that could not otherwise be performed with accommodation or workplace adjustment.

Note: Only education or degrees recognized by the U.S. Department of Education from accredited colleges, universities, schools, or institutions may be used to qualify for Federal employment. You can verify your education here: http://ope.ed.gov/accreditation/. If you are using foreign education to meet qualification requirements, you must send a Certificate of Foreign Equivalency with your transcript in order to receive credit for that education. For further information, visit: https://sites.ed.gov/international/recognition-of-foreign-qualifications/.

• You must be a U.S. Citizen to apply for this job.
• Selective Service Registration is required for males born after 12/31/1959.
• Must be proficient in written and spoken English.
• Subject to background/security investigation.
• Selected applicants will be required to complete an online onboarding process. Acceptable form(s) of identification will be required to complete pre-employment requirements (https://www.uscis.gov/i-9-central/form-i-9-acceptable-documents). Effective May 7, 2025, driver's licenses or state-issued identification cards that are not REAL ID compliant cannot be utilized as an acceptable form of identification for employment.
• Participation in the seasonal influenza vaccination program is a requirement for all Department of Veterans Affairs Health Care Personnel (HCP).
• Complete all application requirements detailed in the "Required Documents" section of this announcement.

As a condition of employment for accepting this position, you will be required to serve a 1 or 2-year trial period during which we will evaluate your fitness and whether your continued employment advances the public interest. In determining if your employment advances the public interest, we may consider:

• your performance and conduct;
• the needs and interests of the agency;
• whether your continued employment would advance organizational goals of the agency or the Government; and
• whether your continued employment would advance the efficiency of the Federal service.

Upon completion of your trial period, your employment will be terminated unless you receive certification, in writing, that your continued employment advances the public interest.