Dietitian (Clinical)

Employees in this assignment serve in a Dietitian position within the Nutrition & Food Service at the VA Medical Center in San Francisco Veterans Affairs Health Care System (SFVAHCS). They are thoroughly knowledgeable of and responsible for planning, coordinating, and implementing food service technology as well as ensuring continuous evaluation and improvement within the service.

Major duties include but not limited to:

The Integrative Health Dietitian serves as a clinical nutrition expert who collaborates with the Integrative Health (IH) team and the Interdisciplinary Pain Rehabilitation Program (IPRP) to provide evidence-based nutrition care. The Integrative Health Dietitian delivers direct patient care, providing nutrition assessments, counseling, education, and medical nutrition therapy using a patient-centered approach. Integrating Whole Health principles, lifestyle medicine, and personalized care planning, the dietitian empowers Veterans to achieve their health goals, strengthen self-care practices, improve resilience, and optimize overall well-being. Services are delivered across outpatient, group, telehealth, and virtual care settings through individual counseling and by facilitating dynamic, interactive group classes that incorporate cooking demonstrations, online nutrition resources, and utilization of community resources. Through advanced clinical nutrition expertise, motivational interviewing, health coaching, and integrative nutrition strategies, the dietitian promotes disease prevention, chronic disease management, and healthy lifestyle behaviors.

Working collaboratively with interdisciplinary healthcare teams, the Integrative Health Dietitian supports the development, implementation, evaluation, and continuous improvement of IH and IPRP nutrition programs. Responsibilities include outcome measurement, accreditation activities, and advancing VA strategic goals and performance measures while ensuring the delivery of high-quality, evidence-based nutrition services.

- Assists with the management of VHA supported software programs and/or commercial off-the-shelf software (COTS) to support food operations and patient meal services.
- Develops skills in food service technology for meal production, meal service and temperature control, working toward coordination and implementation of technology into the operation.
- Uses available technology to enhance the work of all employees within NFS.
- Manages VHA supported software programs and/or commercial off-the-shelf software (COTS) to support the effective management of food operations and patient meal services.
- Enters and maintains ingredients, recipes, nutritional information and menus.
- Oversees the technology used for meal production, meal service and temperature control.
- Leads a menu committee.
- Ensures recipes are standardized.
- Costs out recipes and assures that they are within budgetary constraints.
- Creates and revises menus, considering VA established guidelines, policy, patient preference, and religious and cultural considerations.
- Completes nutrient analyses of regular and modified menus and ensures menus follow required diet guidelines.
- Develops and maintains training and reference materials for the Nutrition Communication Center (NCC).
- Manages productivity reports for the NCC.
- Completes audits for the NCC, determining action plans when results require corrective measures.
- Coordinates and supports downtime procedures for the NCC, ensuring procedures remain up to date.
- Coordinates all aspects of training related to computer systems, menus and informatics for NFS employees.
- Collaborates with the clinical nutrition section and leadership to ensure the enhancement of the Veterans dining experience.
- Supports patient satisfaction within NFS.
- Acts as a department Automated Data Processing Application Coordinator (ADPAC) between administration, food services, clinical staff, and the Office of Information Technology (Ol&T) regarding clinical information system processes.
- Manages and updates the service SharePoint site.
- May perform other related duties as assigned which are appropriate for this grade and assignment.


Work Schedule: Monday - Friday 8:00 AM - 4:30 PM.
Telework: Not Available.
Virtual: This is not a virtual position.
Functional Statement #: 99528-S, 99527-S, 99526-S
Relocation/Recruitment Incentives: Not Authorized.
Permanent Change of Station (PCS): Not Authorized.
Financial Disclosure Report: Not required.

Basic Requirements:
United States 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).

English Language Proficiency: Dietitians must be proficient in spoken and written English as required by 38 U.S.C. 7402(d).

Registration: 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.

Exception for Dietitians who do not possess the RDN credential.
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.
• 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.

Foreign EducationTo 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.

• Non-credentialed Dietitians may only be appointed at the GS-07 or GS-09 grade level and may not be promoted/converted until they obtain their RDN credential.
• Non-credentialed Dietitians must provide care under the supervision of a RDN at or above the full performance level.
• Temporary appointments of non-credentialed Dietitian will not be extended beyond one year or converted to a new temporary appointment.
• 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.

Loss of Credential
In collaboration with HR Office staff, management officials must immediately relieve employees who fail to maintain the required registration/certification of duties and responsibilities associated with the occupation and/or assignment, which may also result in separation from 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:

• 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.
• Employees must meet the assignment-specific certification/education requirements to be placed in Dietitian (Advanced Level Practice) or Dietitian (Dietetic Internship Director) assignments.
• 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.
• Education and Supervised Practice: The individual must have earned a bachelor's degree from a U.S. regionally accredited college or university or foreign equivalent and fulfilled each of the following criteria:
  • Completed a didactic program in dietetics accredited by the Accreditation Council for Education in Nutrition and Dietetics (ACEND), formerly known as the Commission on Accreditation for Dietetic Education (CADE).
  • Completed an ACEND accredited or approved supervised practice program.

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


Dietitian (Clinical) GS-11 (Full Performance Level)
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:

• Skill in delivering patient care using the 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. The actual grade at which an applicant may be selected for this vacancy is GS-11.

Physical Requirements: VA Directive and Handbook 5019 - a physical examination will be conducted based on the physical requirements of the position. A physical examination prior to placement is required.

ACEND accredited programs are located on the ACEND website or at ACEND Accredited Programs Directory.

IMPORTANT: A transcript must be submitted with your application if you are basing all or part of your qualifications on education.

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).

As a condition of employment for accepting this position, you will be required to serve a 1-year 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.