Nutrition Assistant - WIC Program

King County; Shoreline, Seattle (WA, WA); On-site; USD 45,000 - 60,000; Full time

Job summary

King County is seeking a Nutrition Assistant to support WIC services at the North Public Health Center. The role involves eligibility assessment, nutrition education, and coordination with RDNs and public health staff, in both individual and group settings.

Responsibilities include collecting anthropometric data, scheduling, outreach, and participation in WIC committees, with emphasis on equity and culturally humble service.

Qualifications

• Proficiency in Microsoft Suite (Teams, Word, Excel, Outlook).
• Ability to lift and lower a child up to 35 pounds to heights >4 feet.
• Ability to complete WA WIC paraprofessional competencies within 6 months of hire.
• Ability to obtain WA Medical Assistant-Registered or Phlebotomist certification within 30 days to perform testing.
• Ability to obtain a Washington State food worker card.
• Must have current BLS for Healthcare Providers with AED before hire.
• Ability to apply nutrition and health promotion knowledge with diverse clients to promote health changes.
• Knowledge of basic nutrition theory, medical terminology, and hygiene practices.
• Experience providing direct client services in a healthcare setting.
• Knowledge of basic cooking and food demonstration techniques.
• Ability to listen to diverse perspectives without judgment.
• Strong problem-solving, prioritization, and organizational skills.
• Commitment to equity and racial justice principles.

Responsibilities

• Gather and assess information for determining health and nutrition risk factors, program eligibility, client education, and referrals.
• Provide group and individual nutrition education, including breastfeeding support.
• Obtain and document anthropometric measurements for infants, children and adults, including hemoglobin testing if needed.
• Respond to telephone inquiries; screen, schedule, and interview diverse clients to determine appointment type and provider.
• Document client information and services and manage appointment schedules in Cascades to support WIC.

Skills

Microsoft Office

Lifting 35 pounds

Job description

Public Health - Seattle & King County is seeking a Nutrition Assistant to provide services at our North Public Health Center. The Nutrition Assistant will provide services to clients participating in the Women, Infants & Children (WIC) Program, assess eligibility, and provide nutrition education to individuals and families - both through individual appointments and in a group or classroom setting. The Nutrition Assistant works closely with Registered Dietitians, Public Health Nurses, Social Workers, Community Health Workers and healthcare workers from community partners.

Note: This recruitment will be used to create an eligibility pool to fill additional Career Service, Term‑Limited Temporary (TLT), or Special Duty Assignment (SDA) vacancies that may occur over the next six months.

Commitment To Equity and Social Justice

Named after Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr., one of the most influential civil rights leaders in our nation's history, King County is a vibrant international community with residents that represent countries from around the world. It is a region with increasing diversity that cherishes the traditions of many cultures.

The county government has a deep commitment to equity and social justice and advancing practices, strategies, and policies that promote fairness, justice, and opportunity for all – in our workplaces and our communities. With this commitment, King County has adopted a pro-equity agenda to advance regional change and ensure that residents from all communities are incorporated into our emergency planning and public outreach efforts.

We recognize that structural racism consists of principles and practices that cause and justify an inequitable distribution of rights, opportunities, and experiences across racial groups. Since declaring Racism is a Public Health Crisis in June 2020, King County and Public Health committed to being intentionally anti‑racist and accountable to Black, Indigenous and People of Color communities.

To learn more, please visit http://www.kingcounty.gov/elected/executive/equity-social-justice.aspx

• Gather and assess information for determining health and nutrition risk factors, program eligibility, client education, and referrals.
• Provide group nutrition education and individual nutrition education, which includes breastfeeding support.
• Obtain and document anthropometric measurements for infants, children and adults, which may include obtaining blood samples for hemoglobin testing.
• Respond to telephone inquiries – screen, schedule, and interview diverse clients to determine the appointment type and appropriate provider.
• Document client information and services and manage appointment schedules in electronic record (Cascades) to support the WIC program.
• Provide direct customer service to a diverse clientele, providing WIC services, issuing and educating on the use of WIC benefits, determining appointment types needed.
• Conduct WIC outreach and program tasks, such as generating end-of-day reports and client letters and making referrals to other Public Health services.
• Participate in WIC-related committees, including breastfeeding promotion activities, clinic health and information fairs, and the WIC Farmers' Market Nutrition Program.
• Order and maintain program supplies and educational materials.
• Participate in quality assurance activities.
• Complete annual WIC training, and continuing nutrition and breastfeeding education requirements.
• Use Microsoft Outlook and other electronic communication tools to coordinate work and meet training requirements.
• May be required to lift and lower a child weighing up to 35 pounds onto a surface more than 4 feet high with or without accommodation.
• Other duties as assigned.

Required

• Demonstrated proficiency in a variety of computer programs, including, but not limited to, Microsoft Suite – Teams, Word, Excel, and Outlook.
• Ability to lift and lower a child weighing up to 35 pounds onto a surface more than 4 feet high with or without accommodation.
• Ability to complete the Washington State WIC paraprofessional competencies within 6 months of hire.
• Ability to obtain Washington State Medical Assistant-Registered or Phlebotomist certification within 30 days of hire in order to perform hemoglobin/hematocrit testing on WIC participants.
• Ability to obtain a Washington State food worker card.
• Must possess a current BLS for Healthcare Providers with AED certification before hire.
• Ability to apply nutrition and health promotion knowledge/practices in working with clients from diverse backgrounds to make positive changes in health behaviors.
• Working knowledge of or lived experience with basic nutrition theory and practice, medical terminology, asepsis practices, and universal precautions.
• Demonstrated ability to provide direct client services in a health care setting.
• Demonstrated knowledge and skills related to basic cooking and food demonstration techniques.
• Ability to understand various perspectives and listen to others without conveying judgment.
• Excellent problem solving, priority setting, and organizational abilities.
• Commitment to equity and racial justice principles and demonstrated ability to serve clients with cultural humility.

Desired

• Bilingual is highly desired.
• Previous WIC competency‑based training Experience conveying nutrition information.

King County's Vision, Mission, and ACTIVATE Values unite us.

King County serves residents with a relentless sense of urgency, delivering on commitments with transparency and accountability. We are action-oriented, creative problem solvers who collaborate across roles, engage directly with communities, and challenge the status quo to achieve meaningful impact. As a unified team, we uphold high ethical and stewardship standards, embrace change, stay curious, and continuously improve. Across all interactions, we listen first, act quickly, and stay aligned as a team to earn and sustain public trust. Learn more about our Vision, Mission, and ACTIVATE Values here and visit our Why work at King County page here.

King County is an Equal Employment Opportunity (EEO) Employer

No person is unlawfully excluded from employment opportunities based on sex, race, color, national origin, ethnicity, religious affiliation, disability, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, age except by minimum age and retirement provisions, pregnancy, status as a family caregiver, parental status, marital status, military status or status as a veteran who was honorably discharged or who was discharged solely as a result of the person’s sexual orientation or gender identity or expression, citizenship or immigration status, genetic information, or other protected class. However, to the extent that distinction or differential treatment on the basis of citizenship or immigration status is authorized by either federal or state law, regulation, or government contract, it is not an unfair practice.

Our EEO policy applies to all employment actions, including but not limited to recruitment, hiring, selection for training, promotion, transfer, demotion, layoff, termination, rates of pay or other forms of compensation.

Necessary Special Requirements

• The selection process may include evaluation of application materials and supplemental questions, interviewing, and testing. You must completely fill out the application with your relevant education and work experience.
• The selected candidate must be able to provide proof of Basic Life Support (BLS) / CPR.
• The selected candidate must be able to pass a thorough background investigation but findings may not necessarily disqualify an applicant for employment.
• For more information on our selection process, please refer to www.kingcounty.gov/depts/health/jobs/hiring. For tips on interviewing, please visit https://www.kingcounty.gov/~/media/audience/employees/learning-and-development/Interview_Tips.ashx?la=en.
• Employees are required to protect the privacy and security of protected health information as defined in State and Federal Law.
• Public Health relies on office automation (Microsoft Office) and web-based enabled tools, therefore candidates must be proficient and comfortable with computer use to perform functions associated with on‑going work.
• Employees are required to adhere to OSHA/WISHA guidelines including but not limited to completing their mandatory trainings on time and obtaining required immunizations.
• Regular and reliable attendance, effective communication skills, and development of effective working relationships are requirements of all Public Health positions.
• When Public Health responds to an emergency, and in accordance with relevant CLA language and/or KC policy and procedures, we may assign duties outside your regular job description. This may involve responding at any time, including nights and weekends, with possible deployment to locations other than the department.
• If you need this announcement in an alternate language or format, would like to request accommodation or assistance in the application or assessment process or if you have questions please contact the recruiter listed on this job announcement.

Work Schedule

This position is Monday‑Friday, 8:00am-5:00pm. This position is non‑exempt and eligible for overtime.

Work Location

This position is located at 10521 Meridian Avenue North, 2nd Floor, Seattle, WA 98133.

Employees must reside in Washington state and within a reasonable distance to their King County worksite to respond to workplace reporting requirements.

Union Membership

This position is represented by PROTEC 17 Labor Union.

Contact

For questions about this recruitment, please contact Sarah Dunkinson ([e-mail]).