Dietitian (Clinical)

Nutrition and Food Services is actively hiring for one Dietitian (Clinical) for the Columbus, GA location. Clinical Dietitians coordinate nutritional care of Veterans with other health care providers, the Veterans, Veterans caregiver, and the community. Clinical Dietitians collaborate with Food Operations Section to enhance the Veterans dining experience and ensure patient satisfaction.

This position will be involved in the professional practice of dietetics in accordance with the guidance set forth in Nutrition and Food Service (NFS) directives, policies and procedures, and VA regulations governing the practice of dietetics. The clinical dietitian may be scheduled and assigned to any nutrition practice area.

Major Duties and Responsibilities:

• Conducts comprehensive nutrition assessments using the Nutritional Care Process (NCP), including nutrition focused physical examinations, to establish a nutrition diagnosis and determine risk and/or degree of malnutrition.
• Calculates nutrient requirements and necessary diet restrictions or food and drug interactions tailoring the diet prescription to each individual patient.
• Identifies patients in need of nutritional support and recommends the appropriate mode of support and communicates appropriately with the health care team.
• Ensures continuous improvement of safe and quality care of Veterans.
• Complies with The Joint Commission requirements and other accrediting agency standards to ensure safe and quality patient care.
• Performing other related duties as assigned.

Work Schedule: Monday - Friday, 8:00 a.m. - 4:30 p.m. Subject to change based on agency needs.
Telework: Ad-Hoc available.
Virtual: This is not a virtual position.
Functional Statement #: 99531-S / 99530-S / 99529-S
Relocation/Recruitment Incentives: Not authorized
Permanent Change of Station (PCS): Not Authorized
PCS Appraised Value Offer (AVO): No Authorized

Applicants pending the completion of educational or certification/licensure requirements may be referred and tentatively selected but may not be hired until all requirements are met.

BASIC REQUIREMENTS.

Citizenship. Be a citizen of the United States (U.S.). Non-citizens may be appointed when it is not possible to recruit qualified citizens in accordance with 38 U.S.C. § 7407(a).

Registration. 3 (1) All applicants must hold the RDN credential from the Commission on Dietetic Registration (CDR) the credentialing agency of the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics. Note: Applicants who hold the RDN credential have met the education requirement (e.g. bachelor's degree or higher) of CDR, as such this occupation is considered professional and scientific with a positive education requirement and the procedures in Part I, Chapter 4 of this Handbook will be followed when applying Veteran's preference.

English Language Proficiency. Dietitian candidates must be proficient in spoken and written English in accordance with 38 U.S.C. § 7403(f).

Exception for Dietitians who do not possess the RDN credential.

(a) Non-credentialed Dietitians who meet the basic qualification requirements and have fulfilled the requirements below, but do not possess the RDN credential, may be given a temporary full-time appointment not to exceed one year under the authority of 38 U.S.C. § 7405(c)(2).

Non-credentialed Dietitians must have fulfilled each of the following:

• Earned a bachelor's or higher degree from a U.S. regionally accredited college, university or foreign equivalent (refer to ii below).
• 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 is located on the ACEND® website or at ACEND Accredited Programs Directory.

Failure to Obtain Registration. In all cases, Dietitians must actively pursue meeting registration requirements starting from their appointment date. At the time of appointment, servicing Human Resources (HR) staff in collaboration with the supervisor, will provide non-registered Dietitians the written requirement to obtain registration, the date by which they must acquire it and the consequences for not doing so by the deadline. Failure to obtain registration within one year from the date of appointment will result in removal from the Dietitian, GS-0630 occupation and may result in termination of employment.

Grandfathering Provision. Employees in VHA in this occupation, under a permanent, appropriate and legal placement on the effective date of the qualification standard, are considered to have met all qualification requirements for the grade and/or assignment held, including positive education and registration/certification, where applicable. Employees appointed on a temporary basis prior to the effective date of the qualification standard may not have their temporary appointment extended or be reappointed, either on a temporary or permanent basis until they fully meet the basic requirements of the standard. The following provisions apply to employees who do not meet all the qualification requirements:

(1) Employees may be reassigned, promoted up to and including the full performance (journey) level or changed to a lower grade within the occupation, but may not be promoted beyond the journey level or be newly placed in a supervisory or managerial position.

(2) Employees must meet the assignment-specific certification/education requirements to be placed in Dietitian (Advanced Level Practice) or Dietitian (Dietetic Internship Director) assignments.

(3) Employees initially grandfathered into this occupation who subsequently obtain additional education and/or registration/certification that meet all the qualification standard's basic or assignment-specific requirements must maintain the required credentials as a condition of employment in the occupation/assignment.

(4) Employees retained in this occupation under this provision and subsequently leave the occupation lose protected status and must meet the full VA qualification standard requirements in effect at the time of re- entry in the occupation

Grade Determinations: All individuals assigned to this occupation must meet all the basic qualification requirements in paragraph 3 a-f and all the requirements defined in the specific assignment.

Dietitian (Clinical), GS-07.

Experience or Education. None beyond the basic requirements.

Assignment. Employees in this assignment serve in a Dietitian (Clinical) entry-level developmental position. They work under the guidance of a Dietitian who is at the full performance level or above, performing increasingly complex tasks designed to prepare them for promotion. Clinical Dietitians conduct nutrition assessments for patients with lower acuity using the NCP while developing skills to apply evidence-based nutrition practice guidelines. Clinical Dietitians learn to interpret research, apply whole health principles and develop patient-centered goals. They develop skills in accurate record keeping of clinical activities and complete patient encounters using approved systems. Clinical Dietitians comply with The Joint Commission (TJC) requirements and other accrediting agency standards to ensure safe and quality patient care. They collaborate with the Food Operations Section to enhance the Veterans' dining experience and ensure patient satisfaction.

Dietitian (Clinical), GS-09.

Experience. At least one year of experience equivalent to the next lower grade level.
OR
Education. Master's degree from a regionally accredited university or college.

Knowledge, Skills and Abilities. In addition to the experience or education above, the candidate must demonstrate the following KSAs:

(a) Knowledge of various accrediting and regulatory requirements.

(b) Knowledge of virtual technology to provide nutrition care.

(c) Ability to deliver patient care using the NCP (e.g., assessment, diagnosis, intervention, monitoring and evaluation).

(d) Ability to apply evidence-based nutrition practices to improve patient outcomes.

(e) Ability to develop patient-centered goals

(f) Ability to collect data for performance improvement studies. (g) Ability to collaborate with stakeholders.


Dietitian (Clinical), GS-11.

Experience. At least one year of experience as an RDN equivalent to the next lower grade.

Knowledge, Skills and Abilities. In addition to the experience above, the candidate must demonstrate the following KSAs:

(a) Skill in delivering patient care using the NCP (e.g., assessment, diagnosis, intervention, monitoring and evaluation).

(b) Skill in interpreting research to apply evidence-based nutrition practices to improve patient outcomes.

(c) Skill in developing patient-centered goals.

(d) Skill in analyzing data for performance improvement studies.

(e) Skill in collaborating with stakeholders.

(f) Ability to comply with various accrediting, regulatory and agency authorities.

The full performance level of this vacancy is GS-11. The actual grade at which an applicant may be selected for this vacancy is in the range of GS-7 to GS-11.

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

Physical Requirements: See VA Directive and Handbook 5019, Employee Occupational Health Service for requirements.

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.
• Must pass pre-employment physical examination.
• 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.