Clarification from the agency

Current permanent employees of the Veterans Administration including permanent Veterans Benefits Administration, National Cemeteries, Veterans Canteen Service employees, current permanent full-time Hybrid Title 38 and permanent full-time Title 38 employees. NOTE: The 2-page Resume requirement does not apply to this occupational series. For more information, refer to Required Documents below.

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The clinical dietitian will be involved in the professional practice of dietetics in accordance with the guidance set forth in Nutrition and Food Services (NFS) directives, policies and procedures, and VA regulations governing the practice of dietetics.

Major duties includes but are not limited to:

Nutritional Care

• Conducts a comprehensive nutrition assessment utilizing the Nutrition Care Process (NCP) for assigned patients.
• Develops and implements an individualized plan for MNT in accordance with the patient's medical program goals and objectives.
• Performs a Nutrition Focused Physical Exam (NFPE) during assessments to determine risk and/or degree of malnutrition.
• Calculates nutrient requirements (calories, protein, carbohydrates, lipids, vitamins, electrolytes and fluids) and necessary diet restrictions or food and drug interactions.
• Evaluates patterns and relationships among data obtained and possible root causes for nutrition problems.
• Tailors diet prescription to each individual patient according to physical and metabolic needs.

Nutrition Education and Coordination of Care

• Assesses educational needs and provides nutrition education/counseling for individuals and groups, incorporating a learning approach that considers the cultural, religious, educational and medical situation of the patient.
• Utilizes motivational interviewing techniques to evaluate patient and/or caregiver's readiness to learn and potential for changing behaviors.
• Evaluates achievement of learning objectives by the patient and/or family.
• Identifies drug-nutrient interactions and drug-drug incompatibilities and counsels /communicates with the patient regarding the impact on nutrition status and/or nutrient utilization.

Business Functions

• Ensures completion of consult management tasks by reviewing assigned nutrition consults.
• Maintains accurate record keeping of daily clinical activities and completes patient encounters utilizing the Event Capture System (ECS).
• Manages resources (time, materials, and staff) in a cost-effective manner.

Quality Improvement/Research

• Supports Performance Improvement activities by participating in the development of nutritional care indicators, evaluation criteria, collecting performance improvement data, monitoring outcomes, and initiating corrective actions.
• Contributes to a culture of safety by entering patient safety concerns in the Joint Patient Safety Reporting System (JPRS).
• Participates in planning and developing nutrition-related policies, procedures, and goals.

Participation as a Member of the Health Care Team

• Serves as the nutrition expert for medical staff on the nutritional management of patients.
• Communicates and influences treatment interventions determined by the medical team through interdisciplinary meetings, team rounds, medical conferences and nutrition-related in-services.
• Presents seminars, workshops, and lectures to convey current nutrition information on new and changing concepts.
• Coordinates care with colleagues in a variety of medical and home settings to ensure appropriate transitions of care are addressed to meet the patient's needs.

Professional Development

• Interprets current clinical knowledge, standards of care, and research to improve patient care.
• Develops and implements an individualized plan for professional growth and development including participation in professional organizations and activities, workshops, seminars, and staff development programs.
• Participates in departmental and/or interdisciplinary meetings, task forces, and projects.
• Other duties as assigned.

Promotion Potential: The selectee may be promoted to the full performance level without further competition when all regulatory, qualification, and performance requirements are met. Selection at a lower grade level does not guarantee promotion to the full performance level.

Work Schedule: Compressed work schedule: four days a week, 7:00 AM to 5:30 PM
Telework: Ad-Hoc
Virtual: This is not a virtual position.
Functional Statement #: PDF02237, PDF02236, and PDF02235
Relocation/Recruitment Incentives: Not Authorized
Permanent Change of Station (PCS): Not Authorized
Financial Disclosure Report: Not Required

Notifications:

• This position is a Not Bargaining Unit position.
• This position is covered by locality-based comparability pay.
• The incumbent may be required to travel to other VA campuses and CBOC's.
• Veterans' preference does not apply for internal or other current permanent Federal agency employees.
• Narrative responses to the knowledge, skills and abilities (KSAs) may be required from the selectee in order to proceed with the appointment.
• Current and former Federal employees must submit copies of their most recent SF-50, (Notice of Personnel Action). The SF-50 must identify the position title, series, grade, step, tenure and type of service (Competitive or Excepted). In some cases, more than one SF-50 may be required to show a higher grade previously held.

Conditions of employment

• 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 dentification 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.

Qualifications

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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: In addition to the experience above, the candidate must demonstrate the following 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.

Preferred Experience: Experience in geriatrics and in the nutrition care for chronic disease including but not limited to obesity, diabetes, renal disease, malnutrition.

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.

How you will be evaluated

You will be evaluated for this job based on how well you meet the qualifications above.

IN DESCRIBING YOUR EXPERIENCE, PLEASE BE CLEAR AND SPECIFIC. WE MAY NOT MAKE ASSUMPTIONS REGARDING YOUR EXPERIENCE. Your application, resume, C.V., and/or supporting documentation will be verified. Please follow all instructions carefully. Errors or omissions may affect consideration for employment.

Experience refers to paid and unpaid experience, including volunteer work done through National Service programs (e.g., Peace Corps, AmeriCorps) and other organizations (e.g., professional; philanthropic; religions; spiritual; community; student; social). Volunteer work helps build critical competencies, knowledge, and skills and can provide valuable training and experience that translates directly to paid employment. You will receive credit for all qualifying experience, including volunteer experience.

The Department of Veterans Affairs performs pre-employment reference checks as an assessment method used in the hiring process to verify information provided by a candidate (e.g., on resume or during interview or hiring process); gain additional knowledge regarding a candidate's abilities; and assist a hiring manager with making a final selection for a position.

It is the policy of the VA to not deny employment to those that have faced financial hardships or periods of unemployment.

Veterans and Transitioning Service Members: Please visit the VA for Vets site for career-search tools for Veterans seeking employment at VA, career development services for our existing Veterans, and coaching and reintegration support for military service members.