Nutrition Associate

MU Health Care; Columbia Township (MO); On-site; USD 22,000 - 31,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Health, vision and dental insurance

Paid time off

Retirement options with matching

Tuition assistance

Discounts on cell plans, rental cars,

See benefits list

Job summary

MU Health Care is seeking a dedicated team member to join Dining and Nutrition Services in a fast-paced hospital setting. The role emphasizes patient and guest satisfaction, strict confidentiality, and adherence to food safety and infection control standards.

The position is full-time, on-site, with a base hourly pay range and shift differentials for night and weekend hours. Training will be provided to master routines and scripts for patient interactions.

Qualifications

• Greet customers and guests with a positive attitude.
• Maintain HIPAA privacy and PCI compliance in all interactions.
• Demonstrate professionalism in a fast-paced healthcare setting.

Responsibilities

• Serve patients and visitors with courteous, accurate assistance. Maintain patient confidentiality at all times.
• Follow Dining & Nutrition Services directions and complete required training during evaluation period.
• Perform food service tasks safely, including tray transport, delivery, cashiering, and portion control.

Skills

Customer service

Confidentiality

Attention to detail

Education

High school diploma

University of Missouri Food Handler's certificate

Job description

Shift: Full-Time, 6:30 AM-3:00 PM, Every Other Weekend, and Rotating Holidays

Work Arrangement: On-Site

Department: Dining and Nutrition Services

Facility: University Hospital - 1 Hospital Drive, Columbia, MO

Compensation:

• Base Pay Range: $15.78-$22.53 per hour, based on experience
• Shift Differentials:
  • Additional $2.00 per hour for night shift
  • Additional $2.00 per hour for weekend shift

Union Bid Period: 10/23/2026-10/30/2026

ABOUT THE JOB

MU Health Care is looking for a dedicated and enthusiastic individual to join our team in Dining and Nutrition Services. The ideal candidate will possess a high degree of professionalism, a passion for customer satisfaction, and a commitment to maintaining confidentiality and privacy. We seek someone who greets everyone with a smile, embraces positivity, and excels in a dynamic, fast-paced environment. If you are eager to learn, adaptable, and ready to master new skills, we want you! Join us in providing exceptional service and ensuring the highest standards of food safety and infection control. Be a part of a team that values excellence and makes a difference every day.

ABOUT MU HEALTH CARE

MU Health Care is proud to be named one of Forbes' Best-in-State Employers seven years in a row, and that's largely a result of the incredible culture and team we've built. At MU Health Care, we have an inspired, hard-working and collaborative environment driven by our mission to save and improve lives. Here, we believe anything is possible and rally around solutions. We celebrate innovation and offer opportunities to be a part of something bigger - to have a voice and role in the work that is serving our community and changing the field of medicine.

Our academic health system - the only in mid-Missouri - is home to seven hospitals, including the region's only Level 1 Trauma Center and region's only Children's Hospital, as well as over 90 specialty clinics. Here you can define your career among our many clinical and nonclinical positions - with growth, opportunity and support every step of the way.

EMPLOYEE BENEFITS

• Health, vision and dental insurance coverage starting day one
• Generous paid leave and paid time off, including ten holidays
• Multiple retirement options, including 100% matching up to 8%and full vesting in three years
• Tuition assistance for employees (75%) and immediate family members (50%)
• Discounts on cell phone plans, rental cars, gyms, hotels and more
• See a comprehensive list of benefits here.

DETAILED JOB DESCRIPTION

• Work with medical staff, other ancillary professional staff, departmental service staff, patients, visitors, and the general public. Use a high degree of professionalism focused on customer (patient and retail) satisfaction at all times. Use proper scripting while in contact with patients, family, and guests. Maintain strict confidentiality and the utmost privacy of patient information, as required by HIPAA guidelines and PCI requirements. Greet people with a smile and refrain from negative talk and public venting at all times while in MU Health Care facilities.
• Follow the directives of the Dining & Nutrition Services management team related to work assignments, workloads, and areas in need of improvement. Training will be provided, and it is expected that employees will master these skills within their initial evaluation period, including work routines, food safety standards, nutrition education for work assignments, chemicals, equipment, scripting, and customer-focused skills.
• Perform cleaning activities within a healthcare environment, specifically the food service area, to ensure that food safety and infection control guidelines are being met. Perform all food service related activities such as transport of patient trays; delivery of patient trays; cashier; physician's dining room attendant; catering; food preparation; barista; line server; and patient tray assembly with accuracy in product preparation, service, portion control, label and dating - all while using food safety techniques to avoid cross contamination or risk of food borne illness. Employee will perform other duties as assigned. Employees will perform cleaning and sanitation routines in an acute setting, including but not limited to patient kitchen, retail kitchens, and shared (patient/retail) resource kitchens, and public dining rooms, according to proper food safety procedures and standards and hospital-specific standard precautions.
• For personal safety and the safety of others, follow proper infection control and PPE guidelines for the removal of food debris and items contaminated with body substances (i.e., saliva, blood, etc.) from soiled patient trays.
• Maintain and operate equipment in a safe manner. Avoid safety issues with staff, patients, and the general public, such as keeping carts and items out of traffic ways, avoid cross contamination, and ensuring patient information, such as menu tickets, is secured and destroyed properly. Report any food safety, environmental safety, or security/PCI/HIPAA issues discovered promptly to the supervisor. Recognize patient nutrition requirements and report any variances to the supervisor. Ensure the safety of both food supply and nutrition care at all times.
• May be requested to assist in food preparation or assist Nutrition Associates or Culinary Associates as needed, and for the development of staff for promotability opportunities.
• Maintain the work area in a safe and clean manner according to regulatory agencies. Ensure the work area is inspection-ready from any regulating agency. Take immediate action to correct any deficient area when notified by a supervisor or from inspections such as tracer findings, university sanitarian, DNV, and CMS. Keep equipment and area clean, sanitized, restocked, and in good working condition at the end of the shift.
• May complete unit/department-specific duties and expectations as outlined in department documents.

PREFERRED QUALIFICATIONS

• High school diploma or an equivalent combination of education and experience from which comparable knowledge, skills and abilities can be acquired.
• University of Missouri Food Handler's certificate within one (1) month.
• Additional license/certification requirements as determined by the hiring department.

PHYSICAL DEMANDS

The physical demands described here are representative of those that must be met with or without reasonable accommodation. The performance of these physical demands is an essential function of the job. This position is very active and may require ambulating, remaining in a stationary position and positioning self to reach and/or move objects above the shoulders and below the knees. The employee may frequently lift and/or move objects up to 10 lbs and occasionally move objects up to 25 lbs.

This role may also routinely come into contact with patients who may have contagious illnesses. This position is in a health care facility open 24 hours a day, 365 days a year. Rotating shifts as well as holiday and work during inclement weather will be required.

Equal Employment Opportunity

The University of Missouri is an Equal Opportunity Employer.