Clinical Dietitian

Pennington Biomedical Research Center; Baton Rouge (LA); On-site; USD 65,000 - 90,000; Full time

Job summary

Pennington Biomedical Research Center seeks a Research Dietitian to join a small team and participate in all aspects of clinical research in the Ingestive Behavior Laboratory. Responsibilities include designing specialized diets, participant education, and data management, with collaboration across investigators and staff.

The role emphasizes adherence to GCP and regulatory guidelines, with opportunities to contribute to study development, execution, and mHealth interventions.

Qualifications

• Master’s degree in Dietetics, Nutrition, Clinical Nutrition, or related field.
• RD/RDN credential through the Commission on Dietetic Registration.
• Licensed Dietitian/Nutritionist in Louisiana or ability to obtain licensure before hire.
• At least 1 year of experience in clinical, metabolic, or research nutrition.
• Strong organizational, communication, and interpersonal skills.
• Ability to document, manage data, and ensure protocol compliance.

Responsibilities

• Plan, develop, and implement research diets and controlled feeding protocols.
• Educate participants on study diets, meal prep, and protocol requirements.
• Collaborate with investigators and staff to support start-up and operations.
• Monitor dietary compliance and document deviations and nutrition data.
• Maintain accurate research records and nutrient databases.
• Assist with menus, recipes, and nutrient calculations.
• Ensure compliance with GCP, sponsor requirements, and regulations.
• Participate in quality assurance and training sessions.
• Perform other duties as assigned.

Skills

Organizational skills

Communication skills

Interdisciplinary collaboration

Data/documentation

Regulatory/compliance awareness

Education

Master’s degree in Dietetics, Nutrition, Clinical Nutrition, or related field

Bachelor’s degree (if exam eligibility established before 2023)

Tools

Electronic data capture systems

Job description

*This position is not eligible for remote work.

The Research Dietitian will work closely with a small team of researchers and dietitians and will participate in all aspects of clinical research conducted by the Ingestive Behavior Laboratory, including collaboration in the development and execution of research studies, collection management and analysis of study data, development and delivery of dietary & behavioral interventions, and creation and testing of mHealth applications.

Major Responsibilities

• Plans, develops, and implements specialized research diets and controlled feeding protocols in accordance with study requirements and investigator specifications.
• Educates research participants on study diets, meal compliance, food preparation instructions, and protocol requirements to support participant adherence and study integrity.
• Collaborates with principal investigators, study coordinators, nurses, and research staff to support study start-up activities, protocol implementation, and ongoing study operations.
• Monitors participant dietary compliance and documents deviations, adverse events, and study-related nutrition data in accordance with protocol and regulatory requirements.
• Maintains accurate research records, source documentation, nutrient databases, food production logs, and study-related data entry within applicable electronic systems.
• Assists with development of menus, recipes, nutrient calculations, and standardized procedures to support clinical and metabolic research studies.
• Ensures compliance with institutional policies, Good Clinical Practice (GCP), sponsor requirements, and applicable federal, state, and regulatory guidelines.
• Participates in quality assurance activities, audits, monitoring visits, and protocol training sessions related to metabolic research operations.
• Other duties as assigned.

Required Qualifications

• Master’s degree in Dietetics, Nutrition, Clinical Nutrition, or related field from an accredited institution. *If you established your exam eligibility prior to December 31, 2023, a bachelor’s degree is required.
• Registered Dietitian (RD/RDN) credential through the Commission on Dietetic Registration (CDR).
• Licensed Dietitian/Nutritionist in the State of Louisiana or ability to obtain licensure prior to hire.
• One year of experience in clinical nutrition, metabolic nutrition, research nutrition, clinical trials, which can include internships, academic research, or work in a clinical or research lab setting.
• Strong organizational, communication, and interpersonal skills with the ability to work effectively with research participants and interdisciplinary teams.
• Ability to accurately document, manage data, and maintain compliance with research protocols and regulatory requirements.

Pennington Biomedical Research Center seeks to recruit a highly productive workforce with a broad range of backgrounds and perspectives and will provide equal employment opportunities to all employees and prospective employees. Employment decisions shall be based strictly on merit and without regard to religious or political beliefs, sex, race, or any other non-merit factor.