Registered Dietitian

The Lowell General Hospital; United States; On-site; USD 56,000 - 70,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

403(b) retirement with company match

Tuition reimbursement

Free on-campus parking

Career growth opportunities

Guaranteed hours and set schedule

Job summary

Lowell General Hospital is seeking a Nutrition Specialist to provide optimal nutritional care for hospitalized and ambulatory patients. The role acts as the nutrition expert on the care team and leads development of medical nutrition plans.

The position requires a Nutrition or Public Health degree, RD/LDN registration, and clinical dietitian experience; Master’s degree and specialty certifications are preferred. On-site, part-time/variable hours with benefits are offered.

Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree in Nutrition or Public Health is required.
• Current registration with the American Dietetic Association and MA licensed Dietitian/Nutritionist.
• Master’s degree and specialty certifications are preferred.

Responsibilities

• Assess nutritional needs of hospitalized patients and plan care accordingly.
• Develop and monitor medical nutrition therapy plans and adjust as needed.
• Educate patients and families about modified diets and nutrition delivery.
• Review physician diet orders for appropriateness and clarity.
• Support quality improvement efforts for meal service delivery.
• Document patient progress and update nutrition status in records.

Skills

Nutrition knowledge

Interpersonal skills

English communication

Education

Bachelor's in Nutrition or Public Health

Master’s degree (preferred)

Job description

Tufts Medicine is a leading integrated health system bringing together the best of academic and community health care to deliver exceptional, connected and accessible care experiences to consumers across Massachusetts. Comprised of Tufts Medical Center, Lowell General Hospital, Melrose/Wakefield Healthcare, an expansive home care network and a large clinically integrated physician network, Tufts Medicine has more than 15,000 dedicated employees and caregivers.

Job Profile Summary

This role focuses on providing medical and clinical support services to patients. In addition, this role focuses on performing the following Nutrition duties: Evaluates patients and helps them improve physical and mental conditions through treating nutritional difficulties, ranging from undernourishment to obesity. A professional individual contributor role that may direct the work of other lower level professionals or manage processes and programs. The majority of time is spent overseeing the design, implementation or delivery of processes, programs and policies using specialized knowledge and skills typically acquired through advanced education. A senior level role that requires advanced knowledge of job area typically obtained through advanced education and work experience. Typically responsible for: managing projects / processes, working independently with limited supervision, coaching and reviewing the work of lower level professionals, resolving difficult and sometimes complex problems.

Job Overview

This position is responsible for providing of optimal nutritional care of assigned hospitalized and ambulatory patients. Functions as the nutritional expert and patient nutrition advocate on the health care team.

Minimum Qualifications

• 1. Bachelor’s degree in Nutrition or Public Health.
• 2. One (1) year of Clinical Dietitian experience.
• 3. Current registration with the American Dietetic Association & Massachusetts licensed Dietitian/Nutritionist.

Preferred Qualifications

• 1. Master’s degree in Nutrition or Public Health.
• 2. Specialty certifications.
• 3. Two (2) years of Clinical Dietitian experience.

What We Offer

Competitive salaries & benefits that start on day one.

Location: Lowell General Hospital - 295 Varnum Avenue - Lowell, MA

Hours: Part-Time, 24hrs/week, day shift, 1 weekend every 7 weeks (on site on saturday, on-call on sunday), 1 holiday (on call) per year, would also need to rotate to Saints as and when required.

• 403(b) retirement with company match
• Tuition reimbursement
• Free on-campus parking
• Career growth opportunities
• Guaranteed hours and set schedule

Duties and Responsibilities

• 1. Screens nutritionist status of each hospitalized patient to determine nutritional needs and the level of nutritional intervention required by reviewing the patient's medical record, especially the patient's medical history, drug history, and clinical laboratory data, and attending team rounds.
• 2. Performs nutritional and metabolic assessments based on clinical, medical and nutritional data in order to identify patients at nutrition risk. Interviews patients for nutritional history and relates problems to current medical history.
• 3. Assesses patients' nutritional status, develops medical nutrition care plans, monitors and documents the needs for those patients identified at nutritional risk, transitions eternally or parentally fed patients to discharge regimen. Monitors nutrient intake records and nutrient calculations for selected patients.
• 4. Reviews physicians' diet orders for appropriateness and recommends clarification or changes as indicated based on nutrition history, medical history, socio-economic factors and laboratory data.
• 5. Assists in development, implementation and monitoring of quality improvement standards for patient meal service delivery.
• 6. Educates both patient and families regarding modified or normal diets to meet the individual nutritional needs of the patient and documents counseling in medical record. Prepares patient education materials.
• 7. Develops and individualized diet plan (based on the evaluation) and counsels the patient and, if necessary, the family, including the planning, purchasing, and preparation of foods to meet the patient's individual needs.
• 8. Follows progress of patient on successive visits and makes appropriate changes in care plan.
• 9. Maintains the necessary patient records and statistics, including written evaluations, progress notes, etc.
• 10. Documents and updates nutritional status, care plan, and counseling in patient's medical record.
• 11. Provides nutritional consultation to the medical and nursing staff and other members of the health care team.
• 12. Acts as a resource to community groups regarding nutrition and gives presentations and lectures at professional meetings and to community groups.
• 13. Provides nutritional in service education to other members of the health care team.
• 14. Communicates nutrition information to patient service assistant to ensure optimal delivery of medical nutrition therapy.
• 15. Interacts with other members of the patient's health care team to ensure optimal nutritional care for each patient including discharge planning and continuing care conferences and continued nutritional support in the home environment.
• 16. Acts as preceptor for the FSNC nutrition interns (graduate students) during their clinical affiliations. Supervises their progress in evaluating patients, developing and implementing care plan, and counseling patients and families. Prepares teaching manuals, resources, etc.
• 17. Participates in the review, update and implementation of departmental policies and procedures, as assigned.
• 18. Participates in departmental quality improvement programs as assigned, especially those related to improving patient outcome.
• 19. Performs necessary administrative duties such as scheduling patient appointments, reviewing medical records and recording billing and insurance information.
• 20. Responsible for meeting assigned patient billing and volume goals.
• 21. Participates, as required, in nutrition-related studies and projects.
• 22. Assists in the training of new personnel.

Physical Requirements

1. Normal business office environment.

Skills & Abilities

• 1. Knowledge of drug/nutrient interactions and the principles of nutrition with an emphasis on disease and diet, and internal/parental support.
• 2. Interpersonal skills necessary to interact with patients, their families and staff.
• 3. Must demonstrate the ability to communicate with and assess the patient needs of different age populations to provide necessary care.
• 4. Ability to read/write and communicate in English with a demonstrated ability to show empathy and sympathy through spoken and written words. Excellent interpersonal skills.
• 5. Skills and knowledge necessary to provide care to patients throughout the life span, with consideration of aging processes, human development stages and cultural patterns in each step of the care process.
• 6. Responsible and reliable.
• 7. Good organization skills.
• 8. Demonstrates knowledge of CQI process.
• 9. Understands family dynamics and works effectively within various types of family systems.

About Lowell General

For more than 125 years, Lowell General has served the Greater Lowell community with pride. We balance the first‑rate care of a premier medical center with the warmth of a four‑time Magnet®-recognized community hospital. As a member of our team, you’ll join over 3,000 dedicated care providers to offer complete, connected care, when and where patients need it most.

Magnet Designation

The American Nurses Credentialing Center (ANCC) honored Lowell General Hospital with Magnet Recognition for excellence in nursing care, our fourth designation achieved in March 2025! The Magnet Recognition Program recognizes healthcare organizations dedicated to nursing excellence, professionalism, and patient‑focused care. It is the highest level of recognition an organization can receive for providing the very best quality in patient care. Only nine percent of hospitals in the United States have achieved Magnet status and fewer than one percent of hospitals have achieved a fourth consecutive Magnet designation.

Compensation Philosophy

At Tufts Medicine, we want every individual to feel valued for the skills and experience they bring. Our compensation philosophy is designed to offer fair, competitive pay that attracts, retains, and motivates highly talented individuals, while rewarding the important work you do every day. The base pay ranges reflect the minimum qualifications for the role. Individual offers are determined using a comprehensive approach that considers relevant experience, certifications, education, skills, and internal equity to ensure compensation is fair, consistent, and aligned with our business goals. Beyond base pay, Tufts Medicine provides a comprehensive Total Rewards package that supports your health, financial security, and career growth—one of the many ways we invest in you so you can thrive both at work and outside of it.

Pay Range

Pay Range: $26.87 - $33.59 based on full-time equivalent

Tufts Medicine is a leading integrated health system bringing together the best of academic and community health care to deliver exceptional, connected and accessible care experiences to consumers across Massachusetts. Comprised of Tufts Medical Center, Lowell General Hospital, MelroseWakefield Healthcare, an expansive home care network and a large clinically integrated physician network, Tufts Medicine has more than 15,000 dedicated employees and caregivers. The health system came together in 2014 to leverage the experience of its member organizations and integrate their missions to together transform the ways that consumers engage with and experience their care.