Lead Dietitian

Lead Dietitian

Positions are advertised for a minimum of five (5) business days on our job website. After five (5) business days, positions can be closed at the discretion of the department at any time. This employment site is updated on a regular basis. The length of the recruitment and screening process may vary from position to position, depending upon a variety of factors. Should review of your qualifications result in a decision to pursue your candidacy, you will be contacted by phone or email. We are only accepting applications submitted by July 25, 2026. The University of South Carolina offers a valuable benefits package including but not limited to:

• Health and Life Insurance
• Retirement Programs
• Paid Tuition
• Dependent Scholarships
• Annual Leave
• Sick Leave
• 13 Paid Holidays (including an extended December holiday)
• Paid Parental Leave
• Professional Development Opportunities

Click here to learn more about why you should work at USC.

Advertised Job Summary - Lead Dietitian

Are you passionate about helping individuals build a healthy relationship with food through evidence-based, compassionate care? Do you believe nutrition counseling should empower people of all sizes and backgrounds to thrive? Can you translate clinical nutrition science into practical, life-changing guidance for students, faculty, and staff? Are you a collaborative leader who enjoys mentoring and developing nutrition professionals and student educators? We have the job for you!

Position Summary: The Lead Dietitian provides nutrition education and Medical Nutrition Therapy (MNT) for the University community, including students, faculty, and staff. The main focus of this position is to provide clinically appropriate nutrition education and MNT toward the collaborative management of eating disorders, food allergies/intolerances, and other medical nutrition concerns including diabetes, hypertension, lipid disorders, food allergies/intolerances, and other medical nutrition concerns utilizing a weight-neutral approach and Health at Every Size (HAES) model. This position also provides oversight and supervision of the Demonstration Kitchen located in the Center for Health & Well-Being as well as a Registered Dietitian and a Well-Being Coordinator-Nutrition.

Job Related Minimum Required Education and Experience - Requires a bachelor's degree in a job related field and 4 or more years of job related experience, which may be substituted by an equivalent combination of job related certification, training, education, and/or experience.

Required Certification, Licensure/Other Credentials - Licensed or eligible to be licensed as a dietitian in South Carolina. License must be acquired within 6 months of hire.

Preferred Qualifications - Eligibility for registration to the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics Knowledge and experience in working with sports nutrition, eating disorders, clinical nutrition and chronic disease management (e.g. diabetes, celiac, Crohn's, etc) Commitment to a weight-neutral, HAES approach Experience in college health setting Experience supervising others

Knowledge/Skills/Abilities - Knowledge of the science and practice of human nutrition and standards of practice in dietetics. Knowledge of food composition and major sources of nutrients. Knowledge of social, cultural and economic factors related to the nutritional status and dietary habits of individuals. Working knowledge of human behavior and techniques for the modification of eating habits. Strong facilitation and presentation skills. Intermediate desktop publishing, word processing and spreadsheet skills. Knowledge of best practices in collegiate health promotion and public health. Understanding of students' development issues, emerging needs and interests. Ability to establish effective working relationships with students, faculty, staff, community agencies, and the general public. Ability to provide supportive counseling for students as appropriate. Ability to focus on clients throughout the day as most days will be spent in one on one consultations. Ability to manage time to accomplish administrative and programmatic tasks in the patient flow. Ability to train and counsel members of the University community on various health and wellness issues. Ability to communicate effectively both orally and in writing. Fluent in English. Ability to take initiative and be innovative.

Job Duties

Job Duty - Operational Management

Coordinate with cross-functional teams to define project requirements, timelines and deliverables

Oversee day to day operations of Nutrition services and outreach/education

Provide nutrition therapy to students, faculty and staff, following guidelines set forth by Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics, the SC Dept of Labor, Licensing and Regulation and USC Student Health and Well-Being

Ensure Nutrition schedule is open an appropriate number of hours per week to meet the needs of students, faculty and staff

Manage the schedule of cooking classes, ensuring food safety regulations are met

Lead cooking classes and demonstrations

Job Duty - Team Leadership

Provide leadership and supervision to student and professional staff developing programs, education and initiatives focused on nutrition education

Foster a collaborative and innovative team culture, encouraging continuous learning and development

Lead and mentor professionals and student workers

Supervise undergraduate and/or graduate student staff by fostering a high-impact student employment experience that integrates NACE competencies and other high-impact practices across the full employment lifecycle. Support students' personal and professional growth through intentional interviewing, hiring and onboarding processes, 1:1 and/or team meetings, providing constructive feedback, and implementing performance management and evaluation processes, promoting the development of career readiness and transferable skills through student employment.

Job Duty - Strategic Planning

Develop curricula and facilitate workshops to educate peer educators, students, faculty and staff on nutrition

Work closely with department and leadership to develop and implement strategic plans aligned with university, division unit and department priorities

Conduct research and analysis to identify trends and best practices related to nutrition in college health, incorporating these insights into departmental strategies

Job Duty - Stakeholder Collaboration

Foster positive relationships with internal and external stakeholders, including students, administrators, faculty, staff and community partners

Represent the unit in university-wide initiatives and collaborate with other departments to enhance student well-being and support services

Serve on collaborative teams within Student Health and Well-Being, including the Eating Disorder Consultation Team (EDCT)

Serve on SHWB, university and national organization committees as needed

Maintain a network of contacts with other college health RDs

Job Duty - Assessment

Works collaboratively with other SHWB team members in nutrition service evaluation, semi-annual peer review and quality improvement efforts

Manage, report and publicize Student Well-Being's progress toward the achievement of unit, divisional and university objectives

Conduct assessment of programs, utilization and facilitators to ensure effectiveness

Review campus data and implement evidence-based strategies based on the findings

Position Attributes Employees in Safety-Sensitive or Security-Sensitive positions will be subject to pre-employment and post-employment drug testing in accordance with University policy HR 1.95 Drug and Alcohol Testing.

Safety Sensitive or Security Sensitive - Yes

Hazardous weather category - Essential

Posting Detail Information

Number of Vacancies - 1

Desired Start Date

Job Open Date - 06/10/2026

Job Close Date - 07/25/2026

Open Until Filled - No

Special Instructions to Applicant - Positions are advertised for a minimum of five (5) business days on our job website. After five (5) business days, positions can be closed at the discretion of the department at any time. This employment site is updated on a regular basis. The length of the recruitment and screening process may vary from position to position, depending upon a variety of factors. Should review of your qualifications result in a decision to pursue your candidacy, you will be contacted by phone or email. We are only accepting applications submitted by July 25, 2026. The University of South Carolina offers a valuable benefits package including but not limited to: Health and Life Insurance Retirement Programs Paid Tuition Dependent Scholarships Annual Leave Sick Leave 13 Paid Holidays (including an extended December holiday) Paid Parental Leave Professional Development Opportunities Click here to learn more about why you should work at USC.

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EEO Statement - The University of South Carolina does not discriminate in educational or employment opportunities or decisions for qualified persons on the basis of age, ancestry, citizenship status, color, disability, ethnicity, familial status, gender (including transgender), gender identity or expression, genetic information, HIV/AIDS status, military status, national origin, pregnancy (false pregnancy, termination of pregnancy, childbirth, recovery therefrom or related medical conditions, breastfeeding), race, religion (including religious dress and grooming practices),