Nutritionist Associate

Nutritionist Associate

Are you looking for flexibility and a way to contribute to your community? The Chesapeake Health Department is seeking a Part-time Nutritionist Associate to join the Women, Infants and Children's (WIC) program. Primarily performing nutritional interviews to determine client eligibility for the WIC program. This position also requires performing income eligibility and lab duties routinely. Use Value-Enhanced Nutritional Assessment (VENA) techniques to assess readiness, motivation & barriers to behavioral change.

Dietary goals are established & documented in care plan. Prescribe dietary food packages in accordance with WIC protocols. Help plan and schedule nutrition coverage for WIC clinic. Monitor patient flow and clinic scheduling to meet the needs of the clients. Ensure security of WIC EBT cards and all other related supplies. Dietary goals will be established and documented for each WIC client in care plan according to state policy.

Provide patient counseling specific to the individual's nutritional needs will be provided and documented in care plan according to state guidelines. Assist/plan quarterly nutrition education classes (lesson plan, talking points, bulletin board, and handouts). Facilitate nutrition education classes to applicants/participants through group discussion or over the phone. Promote breastfeeding; schedules applicants to breastfeeding classes and breastfeeding support groups; refers pregnant and breastfeeding moms to district's breastfeeding coordinator, breastfeeding expert, or peer counselor.

Our program has been recognized for excellence (2024 Virginia WIC District of the Year), having earned the USDA's Gold WIC Breastfeeding Award of Excellence twice, and is known for its passionate, supportive team culture. Employees benefit from strong leadership, opportunities for professional growth, and the stability and benefits of working within the Virginia Department of Health. Working for the Chesapeake WIC Program offers a rewarding opportunity to make a meaningful impact on the health of women, infants, and children by providing nutrition education, breastfeeding support, and essential health services.

This is a restricted position, which is solely funded by the Federal WIC grant. The availability of funding is scheduled for review annually. Annual funding cycle October 1 to September 30 of the following year. Continued employment is contingent on the continued availability of funds.

Wage employees are subject to the following conditions of employment:

• Wage employees serve at the will and pleasure of the appointing authority.
• Continuing employment is based on available funding and business need.
• Wage employees are not covered by the provisions of the Virginia Personnel Act. Therefore, they are not eligible for benefits which are provided to salaried employees, such as leave credits, holiday pay, insurance, access to the grievance procedure, etc.
• Wage employees are paid only for the hours they actually work.
• Virginia state law currently requires that agencies not permit wage employees to work in excess of 29 hours per week on average over the course of a year. Wage employees may not work for VDH beyond 1,500 hours during the period of May 1 – April 30 of the following year (the Standard Measurement Period). Once a wage employee works the maximum of 1,500 hours during the Standard Measurement Period, the employee may be rehired as a wage employee of VDH only after the next Standard Measurement Period has begun.
• Wage employees are eligible to apply for all classified positions for which recruitment has been initiated, including those limited to State Employees Only.
• If a wage employee becomes employed in a classified position, he/she will be eligible to purchase retirement credit for the time worked as a wage employee.
• Continuing employment is based on available funding and business need.

Minimum Qualifications

• Basic knowledge of nutrition and nutritional standards
• Ability to conduct interviews and collect information
• Ability to interpret, document, calculate, and compile routine data
• Experience providing patient education and/or communicating information to individuals
• Good communication skills, verbally and in writing, to interact with a variety of patients, peers, and supervisors
• Ability to work effectively individually and as a team member
• Experience multi-tasking and prioritizing workloads
• Skills using computer systems

Additional Considerations

• Training, job experience, or coursework in…