Dietitian (Clinical)

Clarification from the agency

All qualified candidates are encouraged to apply. Open to U.S. Citizens. NOTE: The 2-page Resume requirement does not apply to this position. For more information, refer to Required Documents below.

This is an external announcement open to all US citizens. Veterans Preference applies to all applicants. Current permanent VA/Federal employees may apply under announcement CBTC-13007293-26-DRD to receive internal consideration.

NOTE: This is a INTERMITTENT appointment. A part-time or intermittent employee may not be scheduled for employment which will exceed 1820 hours or seven-eighths of full-time employment during a service year.

The Dietitian (Clinical) assignment serves in a position within the Clinical Section of Nutrition & Food Service (NFS) serving as the medical nutrition expert.

Duties and responsibilities include, but are not limited to:

• Conducting comprehensive nutrition assessments using the Nutritional Care Process (NCP), including nutrition focused physical examinations to establish a nutrition diagnosis and determine risk and/or degree of malnutrition
• Developing and implementing Medical Nutrition Therapy (MNT) to address the nutrition diagnosis, evaluates, and monitors the effectiveness and outcomes of MNT interventions- modifying the plan as needed to achieve positive patient outcomes
• Calculating nutrient requirements and necessary diet restrictions or food and drug interactions tailoring the diet prescription to each individual patient
• Documenting MNT in the medical record using the Assessment, Diagnosis, Intervention, Monitoring, Evaluation (ADIME) format
• Functioning independently and accurately when record keeping
• Identifying patients in need of nutritional support and recommending the appropriate mode of support and communicating appropriately with the health care team
• Actively participating in formal and informal interdisciplinary team meetings
• Maintaining accurate record keeping of daily clinical activities and completing patient encounters using approved systems
• Ensuring continuous improvement of safe and quality care of Veterans
• Performing other related duties as assigned

Work Schedule: Intermittent - Work Schedule: 8:00am - 4:30pm: Weekdays, up to 70 hours per pay period
(Note: Work schedules are determined and approved by the supervisor. The incumbent may be required to work various shifts on a permanent or temporary basis based on facility/patient care needs).
Pay: Competitive salary, annual performance bonus, regular salary increases
Telework: Not Available
Virtual: This is not a virtual position
Permanent Change of Station (PCS): Not Authorized

Conditions of employment

Complete all application requirements detailed in the "Required Documents" section of this announcement.

• 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 (https://www.uscis.gov/i-9-central/form-i-9-acceptable-documents). 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 one-year or two-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

To qualify for this position, you must meet the basic requirements as well as any additional requirements (if applicable) listed in the job announcement.

Applicants pending the completion of training or license requirements may be referred and tentatively selected but may not be hired until all requirements are met.

Basic Requirements: All applicants must meet the following basic qualifications.

• United States Citizenship: Must be a US Citizen.
• English Language Proficiency. Dietitian candidates must be proficient in spoken and written English in accordance with 38 U.S.C. § 7403(f).
• Registration. All applicants must hold the RDN credential from the Commission on Dietetic Registration (CDR) the credentialing agency of the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics.

Grade Determinations: In addition to the basic requirements above, all applicants must also meet one of the following grade requirements for a specific grade level.

GS-11 Dietitian (Clinical) (Full Performance Level): Experience. At least one year of experience as a Registered Dietitian Nutritionist/Registered Dietitian (RDN/RD) equivalent to the GS-09 grade level. Examples of experience include, but is not limited to work in which you: conduct nutrition assessments using the Nutrition Care Process (NCP); develop skills in applying evidence-based nutrition practice guidelines, interpreting research and utilizing whole health principles to develop patient-centered goals and improve outcomes; utilize virtual care technology to improve access to care; maintain accurate record keeping of daily clinical activities and patient encounters using approved systems; collaborate with the Food Service Section to enhance the patients' dining experience, support patient satisfaction and serve as a liaison between clinical units and the food service section; etc.

In addition to the experience above, the candidate must demonstrate the following Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities (KSAs):

• Skill in delivering patient care using the Nutrition Care Process (NCP) (e.g., assessment, diagnosis, intervention, monitoring, and evaluation)
• Skill in interpreting research to apply evidence-based nutrition practices to improve patient outcomes
• Skill in developing patient-centered goals
• Skill in analyzing data for performance improvement studies
• Skill in collaborating with stakeholders
• Ability to comply with various accrediting, regulatory, and agency authorities

While we no longer require essay-style responses to our KSAs, you must be able to demonstrate that you possess the KSAs that are necessary to successfully perform the work of the position. Please ensure your resume/CV/application contains sufficient information to support the level of experience/education/training you possess; otherwise, we will not be able to award you credit for the experience/education/training you claim.

Preferred Experience: These preferences are highly desired but are not required:

• Minimum of one (1) year experience in clinical outpatient and inpatient settings to include nutritional management of chronically ill patients in nursing homes/rehabilitation centers or hospitals

The full performance level of this vacancy is GS-11.

Reference: For more information on this qualification standard, please visit https://www.va.gov/ohrm/QualificationStandards/.

Physical Requirements: Must pass a pre-employment physical evaluation as required by VA Handbook 5019. This evaluation is administered by VA Occupational Health.

How you will be evaluated

You will be evaluated for this job based on how well you meet the qualifications above.

IN DESCRIBING YOUR EXPERIENCE, PLEASE BE CLEAR AND SPECIFIC. WE MAY NOT MAKE ASSUMPTIONS REGARDING YOUR EXPERIENCE. Your application, resume, C.V., and/or supporting documentation will be verified. Please follow all instructions carefully. Errors or omissions may affect consideration for employment.

Experience refers to paid and unpaid experience, including volunteer work done through National Service programs (e.g., Peace Corps, AmeriCorps) and other organizations (e.g., professional; philanthropic; religions; spiritual; community; student; social). Volunteer work helps build critical competencies, knowledge, and skills and can provide valuable training and experience that translates directly to paid employment. You will receive credit for all qualifying experience, including volunteer experience.

The Department of Veterans Affairs performs pre-employment reference checks as an assessment method used in the hiring process to verify information provided by a candidate (e.g., on resume or during interview or hiring process); gain additional knowledge regarding a candidate's abilities; and assist a hiring manager with making a final selection for a position.

It is the policy of the VA to not deny employment to those that have faced financial hardships or periods of unemployment.

Veterans and Transitioning Service Members: Please visit the VA for Vets site for career-search tools for Veterans seeking employment at VA, career development services for our existing Veterans, and coaching and reintegration support for military service members.

Special Note for Applications:
To complete your application, please use the following link https://vacareers.va.gov/wp-content/uploads/sites/5/Resume.docx to download the standard Clinical Resume Document.

This one-page document does not need to be modified and must be uploaded into the two-page restricted 'Resume' document upload field.

Your full resume/CV may be uploaded without page limitation into the 'Other' document upload field.

NOTE:

Incomplete packets will not be considered. Failure to submit the required documentation may make you ineligible for this position.

The following documents are required from all applicants:

• Résumé/CV: For each job/position listed, you must include a job title, detailed duties, month and year for each start/end date and if full-time or part-time status, include the number of hours worked each week
• Registration - Must provide a copy of your Registered Dietitian Nutritionist (RND) registration.

The following additional supporting documents may be submitted, if applicable:

• SF-50: All VA/Federal employees should submit a copy of their most recent SF-50 (NOT an award SF-50) that shows they are a current, permanent VA/Federal employee. VA employees may get their SF-50 directly from:https://eopf.opm.gov/va/. Other Federal employees must contact their current HR Office for assistance accessing their eOPF/personnel folder.

• To be considered for Veterans preference submit: Copy of your DD-214 that shows your type of discharge (Member 4 copy).
• Disabled Veterans & those claiming 10-Point Preference must submit: SF-15 (Application for 10-Point Veterans Preference) along with the supporting documents required by that form (such as VA disability rating). Please read page 2 of the form for acceptable supporting documents. (Available at: http://www.opm.gov/Forms/pdf_fill/SF15.pdf)
• Those claiming 0-Point (Sole Survivorship) Preference must also submit: Proof of your eligibility.

Veterans' Preference: When applying for Federal Jobs, eligible Veterans should claim preference for 5pt (TP), 10pt (CP/CPS/XP), or for Sole Survivor Preference (SSP) in the questionnaire. You must provide a legible copy of your DD214(s) which shows dates and character of service (honorable, general, etc.). If you are currently serving on active duty and expect to be released or discharged within 120 days you must submit documentation related to your active duty service which reflects the dates of service, character of service (honorable, general, etc.), and dates of impending separation. Additionally, disabled veterans and others eligible for 10-point preference (such as widows or mothers of eligible Veterans) must also submit an SF-15 "Application for 10 Point Veteran Preference" with required proof as stated on the form. Documentation is required to award preference. For more information on Veterans' Preference, please visit Feds Hire Vets - Veterans - Job Seekers - Veterans' Preference.

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