Nutritionist Associate

DHRM; Chesapeake (VA); On-site; USD 20,000 - 24,000; Part time

Job summary

The Virginia Department of Health in Chesapeake is seeking a Part-time Nutritionist Associate to support the WIC program. You will conduct nutritional interviews to determine client eligibility, document care plans, and help plan nutrition coverage for the clinic.

You will provide counseling on individualized nutrition, promote breastfeeding, and participate in education activities while upholding state policy and care standards.

Qualifications

• Basic knowledge of nutrition and nutritional standards.
• Ability to conduct interviews and collect information.
• Ability to interpret, document, calculate, and compile routine data.
• Experience providing patient education and/or communicating information.
• Good communication skills, verbally and in writing.
• Ability to work effectively individually and as a team member.
• Experience multi-tasking and prioritizing workloads.
• Skills using computer systems.

Responsibilities

• Perform nutritional interviews to determine client eligibility for the WIC program.
• Prescribe dietary food packages per WIC protocols and document in care plans.
• Help plan nutrition coverage for WIC clinic and monitor patient flow.
• Provide patient counseling tailored to nutritional needs and document in care plans.
• Promote breastfeeding and refer to breastfeeding resources.

Skills

Nutrition knowledge

Interviewing

Data interpretation

Communication

Teamwork

Multi-tasking

Computer skills

Education

Nutrition/Dietetics training

Job description

Title: Nutritionist Associate

State Role Title: Dietetic Technicians

Hiring Range: $14.77-$17.51

Pay Band: 2

Agency: Virginia Department of Health

Location: CHESAPEAKE HQ

Agency Website: https://www.vdh.virginia.gov/chesapeake/

Recruitment Type: General Public - G

Job Duties

Are you looking for flexibility and a way to contribute to your community? The Chesapeake Health Department is seeking a Part‑time Nutritionist Associate to join the Women, Infants and children’s (WIC) program. Primarily performing nutritional interviews to determine client eligibility for the WIC program. This position also requires performing income eligibility and lab duties routinely. Use Value‑Enhanced Nutritional Assessment (VENA) techniques to assess readiness, motivation & barriers to behavioral change.

Dietary goals are established &documented in care plan. Prescribe dietary food packages in accordance with WIC protocols. Help plan and schedule nutrition coverage for WIC clinic. Monitor patient flow and clinic scheduling to meet the needs of the clients. Ensure security of WIC EBT cards and all other related supplies. Dietary goals will be established and documented for each WIC client in care plan according to state policy. Provide patient counseling specific to the individual's nutritional needs will be provided and documented in care plan according to state guidelines. Assist/plan quarterly nutrition education classes (lesson plan, talking points, bulletin board, and handouts).

Facilitate nutrition education classes to applicants/participants through group discussion or over the phone. Promote breastfeeding; schedules applicants to breastfeeding classes and breastfeeding support groups; refers pregnant and breastfeeding moms to district's breastfeeding coordinator, breastfeeding expert, or peer counselor. Our program has been recognized for excellence (2024 Virginia WIC District of the Year), having earned the USDA’s Gold WIC Breastfeeding Award of Excellence twice, and is known for its passionate, supportive team culture. Employees benefit from strong leadership, opportunities for professional growth, and the stability and benefits of working within the Virginia Department of Health.

Working for the Chesapeake WIC Program offers a rewarding opportunity to make a meaningful impact on the health of women, infants, and children by providing nutrition education, breastfeeding support, and essential health services.

This is a restricted position, which is solely funded by the Federal WIC grant. The availability of funding is scheduled for review annually. Annual funding cycle October 1 to September 30 of the following year. Continued employment is contingent on the continued availability of funds.

Conditions of Employment

• Wage employees serve at the will and pleasure of the appointing authority.
• Continuing employment is based on available funding and business need.
• Wage employees are not covered by the provisions of the Virginia Personnel Act. Therefore, they are not eligible for benefits which are provided to salaried employees, such as leave credits, holiday pay, insurance, access to the grievance procedure, etc.
• Wage employees are paid only for the hours they actually work.
• Virginia state law currently requires that agencies not permit wage employees to work in excess of 29 hours per week on average over the course of a year. Wage employees may not work for VDH beyond 1,500 hours during the period of May 1 – April 30 of the following year (the Standard Measurement Period).
• Once a wage employee works the maximum of 1,500 hours during the Standard Measurement Period, the employee may be rehired as a wage employee of VDH only after the next Standard Measurement Period has begun.
• Wage employees are eligible to apply for all classified positions for which recruitment has been initiated, including those limited to State Employees Only.
• If a wage employee becomes employed in a classified position, he/she will be eligible to purchase retirement credit for the time worked as a wage employee.
• Continuing employment is based on available funding and business need.

Minimum Qualifications

• Basic knowledge of nutrition and nutritional standards
• Ability to conduct interviews and collect information
• Ability to interpret, document, calculate, and compile routine data
• Experience providing patient education and/or communicating information to individuals
• Good communication skills, verbally and in writing, to interact with a variety of patients, peers, and supervisors
• Ability to work effectively individually and as a team member
• Experience multi-tasking and prioritizing workloads
• Skills using computer systems

Additional Considerations

• Training, job experience, or coursework in Nutrition, Dietetics, food services, or a related area preferred
• Bilingual in Spanish and English preferred
• Experience obtaining blood samples/finger sticks, and taking heights and weights of individuals

Equal Opportunity

It is the policy of the Commonwealth and VDH that all aspects of human resource management be conducted without regard to race (or traits historically associated with race including hair texture, hair type, and protective hairstyles such as braids, locks, and twists); sex; color; national origin; religion; sexual orientation; gender identity or expression; age; veteran status; political affiliation; disability; genetic information; and pregnancy, childbirth, or related medical conditions. VDH employees have a shared Code of Ethics, which can be found in the bottom banner of our website: www.vdh.virginia.gov. VDH is an equal opportunity employer by both policy and practice, therefore prohibits discrimination on basis of sex, color, national origin, sexual orientation, gender identity, age, veteran status, political affiliation, or disability in the recruitment, selection, and hiring of our workforce. As a V3 organization, VDH honors the Commonwealth’s veteran’s hiring preference. State agencies must provide reasonable accommodation to applicants with disabilities where appropriate. Applicants requiring reasonable accommodation for any part of the application process should follow the instructions in the job opportunity announcement. For any part of the remaining hiring process, applicants should contact the hiring agency directly. Determinations on requests for reasonable accommodation will be made on a case‑by‑case basis.

Contact Information

Name: Natalie Newby

Phone: please refer to email

Email: [e-mail]

In support of the Commonwealth’s commitment to inclusion, we are encouraging individuals with disabilities to apply through the Commonwealth Alternative Hiring Process. To be considered for this opportunity, applicants will need to provide their AHP Letter (formerly COD) provided by the Department for Aging & Rehabilitative Services (DARS), or the Department for the Blind & Vision Impaired (DBVI). Service-Connected Veterans are encouraged to answer Veteran status questions and submit their disability documentation, if applicable, to DARS/DBVI to get their AHP Letter. Requesting an AHP Letter can be found at AHP Letter or by calling DARS at 800-552-5019.

Note: Applicants who received a Certificate of Disability from DARS or DBVI dated between April 1, 2022- February 29, 2024, can still use that COD as applicable documentation for the Alternative Hiring Process.

Advertised: 22 Sep 2026 Eastern Daylight Time

Applications close: 29 Sep 2026 Eastern Daylight Time