Nutrition Assistant

Nutrition Assistant

Public Health - Seattle & King County is seeking (2) Nutrition Assistant to provide services at our WIC clinics as a part of our Midway and Federal Way teams. The Nutrition Assistant will provide services to clients participating in the Women, Infants & Children (WIC) Program, assess eligibility, and provide nutrition education to individuals and families - both through individual appointments and in a group or classroom setting. The Nutrition Assistant works closely with Registered Dietitians, Public Health Nurses, Social Workers, Community Health Workers in the Maternity Support Services and Infant Case Management (MSS/ICM) programs, and with healthcare workers from community partners. The successful candidate will exhibit excellent customer service skills, have the ability to develop and maintain positive relationships with our clients from various cultures, and communicate effectively with English as a Second Language (ESL) clients with the assistance of an interpreter. The candidate will also exhibit flexibility in managing tasks such as teaching classes, providing administrative support, and assisting with certification appointments.

Temporary opportunity. Term-Limited Temporary (TLT) positions are "at-will" positions but are eligible for benefits. This TLT is currently anticipated to last 1 year. However, funding sources for this work remain uncertain and dependent upon decisions actively being made at both the federal and local levels. As a result, the end date of this position may be adjusted based on those decisions. The County and the Department continue to work to secure long term funding sources.

This vacancy can also be filled as a Special Duty opportunity. For Special Duty Assignment interest, you must be a Career Service, Career Service Exempt or other regular (non-temporary) employee in King County who has completed their initial County probation. You must have supervisor approval prior to taking a Special Duty Assignment.

Note: This posting will create a list of qualified candidates that may be considered for selection of additional vacancies of the same position type over the next 6 months.

Commitment To Equity and Social Justice

Named after Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr., one of the most influential civil rights leaders in our nation's history, King County is a vibrant international community with residents that represent countries from around the world. It is a region with increasing diversity that cherishes the traditions of many cultures.

The county government has a deep commitment to equity and social justice and advancing practices, strategies, and policies that promote fairness, justice, and opportunity for all – in our workplaces and our communities. With this commitment, King County has adopted a pro-equity agenda to advance regional change and ensure that residents from all communities are incorporated into our emergency planning and public outreach efforts.

We recognize that structural racism consists of principles and practices that cause and justify an inequitable distribution of rights, opportunities, and experiences across racial groups. Since declaring Racism is a Public Health Crisis in June 2020, King County and Public Health committed to being intentionally anti-racist and accountable to Black, Indigenous and People of Color communities.

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Work Schedule

This is a full-time, on site, position with standard hours of 8am-5pm. Hours may vary to meet business needs. This position includes Saturday shifts on rotation.

Work Location

This position works on a rotation out of the Federal Way and Midway offices. Midway at Healthpoint 26401 Pacific Highway S. Des Monies, WA 98198 Federal Way at Healthpoint 33431 13th Place S Federal Way, WA 98003 The candidate may also work at various King County Public Health Centers and satellite offices based on business need. The candidate must have the ability to travel to sites throughout King County and drive a King County-issued car.

Employees must reside in Washington state and within a reasonable distance to their King County worksite to respond to workplace reporting requirements.

Job Duties

• Gather and assess information for determining health and nutrition risk factors, program eligibility, client education, and referrals
• Provide group nutrition education and individual nutrition education, which includes breastfeeding support
• Obtain and document anthropometric measurements for infants, children and adults, which includes obtaining blood samples for hemoglobin testing
• Respond to telephone inquiries – screen, schedule, and interview diverse clients to determine the appointment type and appropriate provider
• Document client information and services, and manage appointment schedules in various electronic records, including Cascades and Epic, to support both the WIC and MSS/ICM programs.
• Provide direct customer service to a diverse clientele, providing WIC services, issuing and educating on the use of WIC checks, determining appointment types
• Conduct WIC outreach and program tasks, such as generating end of day reports and client letters
• Participate in WIC-related committees, including breastfeeding promotion activities, clinic health and information fairs, and the WIC Farmers' Market Nutrition Program
• Order and maintain program supplies and educational materials
• Participate in quality assurance activities
• Complete annual WIC trainings, and continuing nutrition and breastfeeding education requirements
• Use Microsoft Outlook and other electronic communication tools to coordinate work, and training requirements
• Ability to work with a variety of computer programs, including, but not limited to, Microsoft Suite – Teams, Word, Excel, and Outlook
• Ability to lift and lower a child weighing up to 35 pounds onto a surface more than 4 feet high with or without accommodation

Experience, Qualifications, Knowledge, Skills

Ideal Candidate:

• Ability to complete the Washington State WIC paraprofessional competencies within 6 months of hire
• Ability to obtain Washington State Medical Assistant-Registered or Phlebotomist certification within 30 days of hire in order to perform hemoglobin/hematocrit testing on WIC participants
• Able to travel to different King County locations
• Ability to obtain a Washington State food worker card
• A current BLS for Healthcare Providers with AED certification before hire
• Ability to apply nutrition and health promotion knowledge/practices in working with clients from diverse backgrounds to make positive changes in health behaviors
• Working knowledge of basic nutrition theory and practice, medical terminology, asepsis practices, and universal precautions
• Demonstrated ability to provide direct client services in a health care setting
• Demonstrated knowledge and skills related to basic cooking and food demonstration techniques
• Ability to understand various perspectives and listen to others without conveying judgment.
• Excellent problem solving, priority setting, and organizational abilities.

Desired Candidate:

• Bilingual in the following (Spanish, Dari, Pashto, Lingala, French, Creole, Portuguese)
• Some working knowledge of nutrition from either formal education or life experience
• Some experience working with pregnant, postpartum and breastfeeding women
• Experience working with infants and children up to the age of five years.