Dietitian (Clinical)

The Dietitian (Clinical) serves within Nutrition and Food Services (NFS) and provides comprehensive clinical nutrition services to Veterans. The incumbent conducts nutrition assessments, develops and implements Medical Nutrition Therapy (MNT), monitors patient outcomes, and provides nutrition education and counseling.

The position collaborates with interdisciplinary healthcare teams to coordinate patient-centered care and improve health outcomes. Employees at the GS-07 and GS-09 levels function in developmental assignments with increasing responsibility and complexity, while the GS-11 level serves as the full performance level, functioning independently in providing clinical nutrition expertise for patients with complex medical and nutritional needs. The Dietitian applies evidence-based nutrition practices, supports quality improvement initiatives, maintains clinical documentation, and collaborates with Food Operations to enhance the Veteran dining experience and patient satisfaction. The position is committed to delivering safe, high-quality, Veteran-centered care while supporting the mission of the Veterans Health Administration.

GS-07 Dietitian (Clinical) Major Duties

• Conduct nutrition assessments for patients with lower-acuity conditions using the Nutrition Care Process (NCP).
• Develop and implement Medical Nutrition Therapy (MNT) under supervision and monitor patient outcomes.
• Document nutrition care using the ADIME format in the medical record.
• Calculate nutrient requirements, diet restrictions, and food-drug interactions.
• Identify patients requiring nutrition support and communicate recommendations to the healthcare team.
• Participate in interdisciplinary team meetings and patient care planning.
• Provide nutrition education and counseling to Veterans and caregivers.
• Maintain clinical productivity standards and accurate documentation.
• Manage clinic schedules to maximize access to nutrition services.
• Support quality improvement activities and compliance with accrediting standards.

GS-09 Dietitian (Clinical) Major Duties

• Conduct comprehensive nutrition assessments using the Nutrition Care Process (NCP), including nutrition-focused physical examinations.
• Develop, implement, evaluate, and modify Medical Nutrition Therapy (MNT) plans.
• Calculate nutrition requirements and tailor diet prescriptions to individual patient needs.
• Recommend appropriate nutrition support interventions and coordinate with the healthcare team.
• Document patient care using the ADIME format in the electronic health record.
• Provide individualized and group nutrition education and counseling.
• Participate in interdisciplinary treatment team meetings.
• Maintain clinical activity records and productivity standards.
• Participate in service planning, policy implementation, and performance improvement initiatives.
• Serve as a liaison between clinical units and Food Operations to support patient care and satisfaction.

GS-11 Dietitian (Clinical) Major Duties

• Serve as the medical nutrition expert and independently provide clinical nutrition services for patients with complex medical and nutritional needs.
• Conduct comprehensive nutrition assessments and establish nutrition diagnoses using evidence-based practices.
• Develop, implement, monitor, and evaluate Medical Nutrition Therapy (MNT) interventions.
• Calculate nutrient requirements and prescribe therapeutic diets tailored to individual patient needs.
• Recommend and coordinate nutrition support interventions with interdisciplinary healthcare teams.
• Provide specialized nutrition education and counseling to Veterans and caregivers.
• Utilize virtual care technology to improve access to nutrition services.
• Lead quality improvement activities and implementation of new clinical initiatives.
• Analyze data, develop performance measures, and initiate corrective actions to improve patient care outcomes.
• Collaborate with leadership and Food Operations to enhance the Veteran dining experience and patient satisfaction.

Work Schedule: 8:00am - 4:30pm, Monday thru Friday (ADHOC eligible)
Telework: Not Available
Virtual: This is not a virtual position.
Functional Statement #: GS07 99531-S, GS09 99530-S, & GS11 99529-S
Relocation/Recruitment Incentives: Not Authorize

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: All applicants must meet the following basic qualifications.

• United States Citizenship: Must be a US Citizen.
• English Language Proficiency. Dietitian candidates must be proficient in spoken and written English in accordance with 38 U.S.C. § 7403(f).
• 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.

GRADE DETERMINATIONS. In addition to the basic requirements above, all applicants must also meet one of the following grade requirements for a specific grade level.

• GS-07 Experience or Education. None beyond the basic requirements.
• GS-09 Experience or Education.
  • Experience: At least one year of experience equivalent to the GS-07 grade level. Examples of experience include, but is not limited to work in which you: conduct nutrition assessments for patients with lower acuity using the Nutrition Care Process (NCP), develop skills in accurate record keeping of clinical activities and complete patient encounters using approved systems, comply with The Joint Commission (TJC) requirements and other accrediting agency standards to ensure safe and quality patient care, interpret research, apply whole health principles and develop patient-centered goals, collaborate with the Food Operations Section to enhance the patients' dining experience and ensure patient satisfaction; etc. -OR-
  • Education. Master's degree from a regionally accredited university or college.

In addition to the GS-09 experience or education above, the candidate must demonstrate the following KSAs:

• 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

• GS-11 Dietitian Experience. At least one year of experience as a Registered Dietitian Nutritionist/Registered Dietitian (RDN/RD) equivalent to the GS-09 grade level. Examples of experience include, but is not limited to work in which you: conduct nutrition assessments using the NCP; develop skills in applying evidence-based nutrition practice guidelines, interpreting research and utilizing whole health principles to develop patient-centered goals and improve outcomes; utilize virtual care technology to improve access to care; maintain accurate record keeping of daily clinical activities and patient encounters using approved systems; collaborate with the Food Service Section to enhance the patients' dining experience, support patient satisfaction and serve as a liaison between clinical units and the food service section; etc.

In addition to the GS-11 experience above, the candidate must demonstrate the following Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities (KSAs):

• 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

While we no longer require essay-style responses to our KSAs, you must be able to demonstrate that you possess the KSAs that are necessary to successfully perform the work of the position. Please ensure your resume/CV/application contains sufficient information to support the level of experience/education/training you possess; otherwise, we will not be able to award you credit for the experience/education/training you claim.

Current VHA Dietitians that qualify based on being covered by the Grandfathering Provision may not be promoted to the higher GS-11 grade if they do not meet the current RDN/RD requirements.

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-07 to GS-11.

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

Physical Requirements: Must pass a pre-employment physical evaluation as required by VA Handbook 5019. This evaluation is administered by VA Occupational Health.

Documentation is required to verify that the degree was obtained from a U.S. Department of Education accredited institution. Applicants using foreign education must submit a credential evaluation (Certificate of Foreign Equivalency) with their transcripts for consideration.

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.
• All applicants tentatively selected for VA employment in a testing designated position are subject to urinalysis to screen for illegal drug use prior to appointment. Applicants who refuse to be tested will be denied employment with VA.
• 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.