NUTRITION EDUCATOR

Requisition No: 880718


Agency: Department of Health

Working Title: NUTRITION EDUCATOR - 64005787

Pay Plan: Career Service

Position Number: 64005787


Salary: $45,000 - $49,615 annually


Posting Closing Date: 10/27/2026


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NUTRITION EDUCATOR

Open Competitive

Thank you for your interest in career opportunities with the Florida Department of Health in Polk County. If you are looking to establish a successful career in Public Health, you have come to the right place. Many of our innovative and successful health programs are recognized throughout Florida. We hope you decide to join our team! Applicants will be contacted directly if selected for an interview.

Your Specific Responsibilities:

This position provides professional nutrition education and breastfeeding counseling and support to clients at any site or location in the geographic area covered by the Polk/Hardee WIC Program.

WIC Program Duties:

• Completes the medical history, nutrition history, and breastfeeding assessment for WIC clients, except those determined to be at medical high risk.
• Develops, monitors, evaluates, and revises nutrition education plans for high and low risk WIC clients and provides/documents nutrition and breastfeeding counseling per program policies.
• Certifies eligible clients for participation in the WIC program by determining and assigning correct nutrition risk per program policies.
• Assigns/updates client food prescriptions according to program regulations.
• Reviews medical and health records for nutritionally relevant data and refers medical high risk clients to the Public Health Nutritionist for counseling. Completes inventories as assigned. Provides classes and group nutrition education per class lesson plans with appropriate documentation.
• Assists the Public Health Nutritionist Supervisor in the supervision of the clinic (including complaints) and clinic staff. Conducts quality improvement (QI) monitoring and reporting as directed by supervisor. Performance of other assigned duties as requested by supervisor.
• Completes administrative forms such as EARs, time sheets, and travel per department policies and required deadlines.
• Attends and participates in staff meetings, in-service trainings, and other staff development activities. Assists with outreach activities, health fairs and other community activities as needed. Completes all mandatory trainings within required time frames.
• Complies with all Department of Health and WIC security and confidentiality rules and regulations.
• This position may serve clients that speak only Spanish, Creole, or other languages. It may require performance of interpreter duties, if bilingual, or implementation of the Department's Limited English Proficiency Plan. Performs other duties as required, including performance of additional interpreter duties, consistent with skill level, and as needed.

Required Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities:

• Knowledge of the current science and practice of food and nutrition, dietetics, or food service
• Knowledge of normal nutrition principles and food needs throughout the life cycle
• Knowledge of meal planning, food budgeting and purchasing.
• Ability to provide nutrition education to others in group or individual instruction.
• Ability to determine nutritional needs and develop nutrition education plans for individuals who are not at medically high nutritional risk Ability to participate in education or in-service training programs through teaching classes, demonstrating food practices, giving talks, and developing or selecting educational materials.
• Ability to plan, organize and coordinate work assignments; ability to establish and maintain effective working relationships with others; ability to understand and apply applicable rules, regulations, policies and procedures.

Qualifications:

Minimum -

• Current Florida Driver's License
• Bachelor's degree (or master's degree or higher) from an accredited college or university with the major course of study in public health nutrition, nutrition, dietetics, food and nutrition, or food service management. As required by the Florida state WIC program.

Other job-related requirements for this position:

EMERGENCY DUTY: "Incumbent may be required to work before, during and/or beyond normal work hours or days in the event of an emergency. Emergency duty required of the incumbent includes working in special needs or Red Cross shelters, or performing other emergency duties including, but not limited to, responses to or threats involving any disaster or threat of disaster, man-made or natural."


CONFIDENTIALITY: "Incumbent may have access to records containing Social Security numbers in the performance of their job duties."

Florida Department of Health Mission, Vision, and Values:

Mission:

To protect, promote & improve the health of all people in Florida through integrated state, county & community efforts.

Vision:

To be the Healthiest State in the Nation.

Values:

I nnovation: We search for creative solutions and manage resources wisely.

C ollaboration: We use teamwork to achieve common goals & solve problems.

A ccountability: We perform with integrity & respect.

R esponsiveness: We achieve our mission by serving our customers & engaging our partners.

E xcellence: We promote quality outcomes through learning & continuous performance improvement.

Where You Will Work:

Lakeland, FL

The Benefits of Working for the State of Florida:

Working for the State of Florida is more than a paycheck. The State's total compensation package for employees features a highly competitive set of employee benefits including:

• Annual and Sick Leave benefits;
• Nine paid holidays and one Personal Holiday each year;
• State Group Insurance coverage options, including health, life, dental, vision, and other supplemental insurance options;
• Retirement plan options, including employer contributions

(For more information, please click

• Flexible Spending Accounts;
• Tuition waivers;
• And more!

For a more complete list of benefits, including monthly costs, visit

Please be advised:

Your responses to qualifying questions for this position must be verifiable by documentation provided through the electronic application process.


This position requires a security background check and/or drug screening and participation in direct deposit. Any misrepresentations or omissions will disqualify you from employment consideration. Note: You will be required to provide your Social Security Number (SSN) in order to conduct this background check Successful completion of a drug test is a condition of employment for safety-sensitive positions.


Male applicants born on or after October 1, 1962, will not be eligible for hire or promotion unless they are registered with the Selective Services System (SSS) before their 26th birthday, or have a Letter of Registration Exemption from the SSS. For more information, please visit the SSS website:


If you are a retiree of the Florida Retirement System (FRS), please check with the FRS on how your current benefits will be affected if you are re-employed with the State of Florida. Your current retirement benefits may be canceled, suspended or deemed ineligible depending upon the date of your retirement.


The successful candidate will be required to complete the Form I-9 and that information will be verified using the E-Verify system. E-Verify is operated by the Department of Homeland Security in partnership with the Social Security Administration to verify employment eligibility.


Incumbents may be required to perform emergency duty before, during, and/or beyond normal work hours or days.

All Florida Department of Health positions require the incumbent to be able to learn and communicate effectively, orally and in writing, in English. Applicants who do not meet this requirement will not be considered.


The State of Florida is an Equal Opportunity Employer/Affirmative Action Employer and does not tolerate discrimination or violence in the workplace.


Applicants requiring a reasonable accommodation, as defined by the Americans with Disabilities Act, must notify the agency hiring authority and/or People First Service Center View phone number on click.appcast.io). Notification to the hiring authority must be made in advance to allow sufficient time to provide the accommodation.


The State of Florida supports a Drug-Free workplace. All employees are subject to reasonable suspicion drug testing in accordance with Section 112.0455, F.S., Drug-Free Workplace Act.


Florida has the third largest population of veterans in the nation with more than 1.5 million service men and women. The Florida Department of Health (department) is committed to serving members of the United States Armed Forces, veterans and their families by encouraging them to apply for vacancies that fit their area of knowledge and/or expertise. Through the Department's VALOR program, which expedites licensing for military veterans, the Department also waives initial licensing and application fees for military veterans who apply for a health care professional license within 60 months of an honorable discharge. These initiatives help ensure that the transition from military service into the workforce is as smooth as possible and reflects our appreciation for the dedication devoted to protecting our country.


If there are any problems applying online, please call People First Staffing Administration: View phone number on click.appcast.io.

Service Center hours are Monday through Friday, 8:00 a.m. to 6:00 p.m., ET. TTY users, call View phone number on click.appcast.io.

The State of Florida is an Equal Opportunity Employer/Affirmative Action Employer, and does not tolerate discrimination or violence in the workplace.

Candidates requiring a reasonable accommodation, as defined by the Americans with Disabilities Act, must notify the agency hiring authority and/or People First Service Center View phone number on click.appcast.io). Notification to the hiring authority must be made in advance to allow sufficient time to provide the accommodation.

The State of Florida supports a Drug-Free workplace. All employees are subject to reasonable suspicion drug testing in accordance with Section 112.0455, F.S., Drug-Free Workplace Act.

VETERANS' PREFERENCE. Pursuant to Chapter 295, Florida Statutes, candidates eligible for Veterans' Preference will receive preference in employment for Career Service vacancies and are encouraged to apply. Certain service members may be eligible to receive waivers for postsecondary educational requirements. Candidates claiming Veterans' Preference must attach supporting documentation with each submission that includes character of service (for example, DD Form 214 Member Copy #4) along with any other documentation as required by Rule 55A-7, Florida Administrative Code. Veterans' Preference documentation requirements are available by clicking here. All documentation is due by the close of the vacancy announcement.


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