Clinical Dietitian - HYBRID

Clinical Dietician

The University of Miami/UHealth department of Neurology has an exciting opportunity for a Part Time Clinical Dietician to work hybrid at the UHealth Medical Campus. The Dietitian promotes good dietary health and treats medical conditions by devising eating plans for patients based on the science of nutrition. Moreover, the Dietitian formulates and executes programs and materials to educate people about nutrition.

Responsibilities include:

• Helps people come to terms with their illnesses.
• Makes educational presentations and writes patient progress reports.
• Meets directly with patients to identify nutritional needs.
• Identifies ways to improve care of patients and makes recommendations to appropriate staff.
• Performs research and recommends ways to expand and improve nutrition programs.
• Evaluates the effects of meal plans and changes the plans when appropriate.
• Keeps up with the latest developments in nutritional science.
• Buys foods and administers budget.
• Schedules appointments and responds to patients' questions or concerns.
• Adheres to University and unit-level policies and procedures and safeguards University assets.

Department Specific Functions:

The Clinical Dietitian (RD) provides specialized medical nutrition therapy to patients with neurological conditions including movement disorders, muscular dystrophy, and amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS). The Clinical Dietitian develops and implements individualized nutrition care plans to optimize nutritional status, preserve functional ability, manage disease-related complications, and improve overall quality of life. The Clinical Dietitian collaborates closely with the interdisciplinary team in outpatient settings.

• Conduct thorough nutrition assessments including anthropometrics, biochemical data, swallowing status, gastrointestinal function, dietary intake analysis, and functional status.
• Develop and implement individualized nutrition care plans for patients with:
• Dysphagia and aspiration risk
• Unintentional weight loss or hypermetabolism (common in ALS)
• Constipation and GI motility disorders
• Feeding fatigue and prolonged mealtimes
• Protein-energy malnutrition
• Monitor tolerance and adequacy of oral, enteral, and tube feeding regimens.
• Identify malnutrition risk, unintentional weight loss, sarcopenia, dehydration, and feeding difficulties.
• Adjust macronutrient and micronutrient recommendations based on disease progression and metabolic changes.
• Movement Disorders (e.g., Parkinson's disease):
• Educate on protein distribution to optimize levodopa absorption.
• Address constipation and hydration strategies.
• Manage weight fluctuations due to tremors or dyskinesia.
• ALS and MDA multidisciplinary clinics:
• Monitor rapid weight loss and hypermetabolic needs.
• Counsel patients and families on PEG tube placement and enteral feeding.
• Recommend high-calorie, high-protein oral strategies early in disease progression.
• Provide guidance on texture modification in coordination with SLP.
• Prescribe and manage enteral feeding regimens.
• Adjust feeding plans as disease progresses.
• Collaborate on end-of-life nutrition decisions consistent with patient goals.
• Work closely with multidisciplinary teams: neurologists, speech-language pathologists, respiratory therapist, physical and occupational therapists, nurses, and social workers.
• Participate in multidisciplinary clinics
• Contribute to case conferences and care planning meetings.
• Develop and implement individualized, evidence-based nutrition care plans tailored to disease state, metabolic demands, swallowing ability, and patient goals.
• Establish calories, protein, and fluid requirements based on clinical condition and disease progression.
• Prescribe appropriate diet modifications (e.g., high-calorie/high-protein, texture-modified diets, enteral nutrition).
• Design meal strategies to address fatigue, prolonged mealtimes, and impaired motor function.
• Monitor tolerance and effectiveness of oral, supplemental, and enteral feeding regimens.
• Adjust nutrition interventions as disease progress or clinical status changes.
• Document assessments, nutrition diagnoses, interventions, and monitoring outcomes in the EMR and in the ALS Toolkit.

Core Qualifications:

• Bachelor's degree in relevant field required

• Valid State of Florida Dietitian/Nutritionist (LDN) license required Refer to department description for applicable certification requirements

• Minimum 1 year of relevant experience required

Knowledge, Skills and Abilities:

• Learning Agility: Ability to learn new procedures, technologies, and protocols, and adapt to changing priorities and work demands.

• Teamwork: Ability to work collaboratively with others and contribute to a team environment.

• Technical Proficiency: Skilled in using office software, technology, and relevant computer applications.

• Communication: Strong and clear written and verbal communication skills for interacting with colleagues and stakeholders.

The University of Miami offers competitive salaries and a comprehensive benefits package including medical, dental, tuition remission and more.

UHealth-University of Miami Health System, South Florida's only university-based health system, provides leading-edge patient care powered by the ground breaking research and medical education at the Miller School of Medicine. As an academic medical center, we are proud to serve South Florida, Latin America and the Caribbean. Our physicians represent more than 100 specialties and sub-specialties, and have more than one million patient encounters each year. Our tradition of excellence has earned worldwide recognition for outstanding teaching, research and patient care. We're the challenge you've been looking for.

The University of Miami is an Equal Opportunity Employer. Applicants and employees are protected from discrimination based on certain categories protected by Federal law.

Job Status: Part time

Employee Type: Staff