Dietitian (Informatics)

Summary


Employees serving in this role develop skills to plan, coordinate and implement food service technology within the Nutrition and Food service. Informatics Dietitians in this assignment continue to increase their knowledge of technical and technological developments in the field of nutrition informatics and use this knowledge to guide both the food and the clinical operations. This position will be located at Jefferson Barracks in St Louis, MO and will support John Cochran on-site as needed.


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Duties


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The 1 position is for either a GS7, GS9, or GS11 and will support Jefferson Barracks and John Cochran as needed, part of the St Louis VA Healthcare System.

Duties GS 7:

• Develops skills in food service technology for meal production, mealservice and temperature control, working toward coordination and implementation of technology into the operation.
• Gains skills in the operation of VHA supported software programs and/or commercial off-the-shelf software (COTS) to support the effective management of food operations and patient meal services.
• Creates and revises menus, considering VA established guidelines, policy, patient preferences, and religious and cultural considerations.
• Completes nutrient analyses and ensures menus follow required diet guidelines.
• Participates in a menu committee.
• Participates in standardizing recipes used for food production.
• Estimates food costs for recipes within the confines of budgetary limitations.
• Reviews educational materials and references for compliance with policy and procedures for the Nutrition Communication Center (NCC).
• Assists in the review of NCC productivity reports and supports downtime procedures.
• Facilitates and supports training for staff within NFS for the electronic health record, COTS programs, temperature control, menu, NCC related functions and other informatics related needs.

Duties GS 9:

• Makes recommendations for and assists in improving processes within the service.
• 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.
• Utilizes technology for meal production, meal service and temperature control.
• Creates and revises menus, considering VA established guidelines, policy, patient preferences, and religious and cultural considerations.
• Completes nutrient analyses and ensures menus follow required diet guidelines.
• Assists in leading a menu committee.
• Standardizes recipes used for food production.
• Estimates food costs for recipes within the confines of budgetary limitations.
• Develops and maintains educational materials and references ensuring compliance with policy and procedures.
• Reviews Nutrition Communication Center (NCC) productivity reports and supports downtime procedures.
• Uses their knowledge of technical and technological developments in the field of nutrition informatics and dietetics to help with planning for the department.
• Facilitates employee training related to computer systems, menus, and informatics.
• Facilitates and supports training for staff within NFS for the electronic health record, COTS programs, temperature control, menu, NCC related functions and other informatics related needs.
• Serves as the service 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.
• Reviews and updates the NFS SharePoint site.
• Collaborates with the clinical nutrition section to ensure the enhancement of the Veterans dining experience.
• Supports the patient satisfaction efforts within NFS.

Duties GS 11:

• 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.

Work Schedule : Monday-Friday 8a-430p


Telework : Not Available


Virtual: This is not a virtual position.


Functional Statement # : PD99526S


Relocation/Recruitment Incentives : Not Authorized


Permanent Change of Station (PCS): Not Authorized


Requirements


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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 ( 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.


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.

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.


Grade Determinations: Dietitian (Informatics) GS-07 Experience:

Experience: At least one year of experience equivalent to the next lower grade level.


OR


1 full year of graduate level education or superior academic achievement


Grade Determinations : Dietitian (Informatics) GS-09 Experience:

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.


Dietitian (Informatics) GS-11 Experience: One year of experience as an RDN Dietitian equivalent to the next lower grade level.


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

• (a) Knowledge of nutritional standards and requirements.
• (b) Ability to manage computer software programs relative to food service systems.
• (c) Ability to develop training and reference materials.
• (d) Ability to evaluate data to improve outcomes.
• (e) Ability to provide training related to food service systems technology.
• (f) Ability to collaborate with stakeholders

Preferred Experience: Preferred candidates should have experience planning, coordinating, and implementing food service technology within a healthcare setting, with demonstrated knowledge of nutrition informatics and its application to both food and clinical operations. Familiarity with managing electronic health records, commercial off-the-shelf software for meal production and service, and facilitating staff training on informatics systems is highly valued. Experience collaborating across departments to enhance patient dining experiences and supporting process improvements within Nutrition and Food Services is also desirable.


Reference: For more information on this qualification standard, please visit


Physical Requirements: The work required does not inherently include any physical requirements essential for successful job performance that could not otherwise be performed with accommodation or workplace adjustment. A pre-placement physical examination is not required.


The VA St Louis Health Care System includes two medical centers and seven community based-outpatient clinics offering a wide range of nutrition services, including acute care, long-term care, mental health, psychiatric, primary care, and specialty services. As a informatics dietitian, you may be required to cover any area within the diverse health care system.


Education


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


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: 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:


Additional information


Receiving Service Credit for Earning Annual (Vacation) Leave: Federal Employees earn annual leave at a rate (4, 6 or 8 hours per pay period) which is based on the number of years they have served as a Federal employee. Selected applicants may qualify for credit toward annual leave accrual, based on prior work experience or military service experience. This credited service can be used in determining the rate at which they earn annual leave. Such credit must be requested and approved prior to the appointment date and is not guaranteed.


During the application process you may have an option to opt-in to make your resume available to hiring managers in the agency who have similar positions. Opting in does not impact your application for this announcement, nor does it guarantee further consideration for additional positions.


This job opportunity announcement may be used to fill additional vacancies.


This position is in the Excepted Service and does not confer competitive status.


VA encourages persons with disabilities to apply. The health-related positions in VA are covered by Title 38, and are not covered by the Schedule A excepted appointment authority.


If you are unable to apply online or need an alternate method to submit documents, please reach out to the Agency Contact listed in this Job Opportunity Announcement.


Under the Fair Chance to Compete Act, the Department of Veterans Affairs prohibits requesting an applicant's criminal history prior to accepting a tentative job offer. For more information about the Act and the complaint process, visit Human Resources and Administration/Operations, Security, and Preparedness (HRA/OSP) at The Fair Chance Act.

Candidates should be committed to improving the efficiency of the Federal government, passionate about the ideals of our American republic, and committed to upholding the rule of law and the United States Constitution.

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