Title: Nutritionist Associate

State Role Title: Direct Service Associate II

Hiring Range: $38,172 - $42,700

Pay Band: 2

Agency: Virginia Department of Health

Location: BLUE RIDGE HQ

Agency Website: www.vdh.virginia.gov/blue-ridge

Recruitment Type: General Public - G

Job Duties

The Blue Ridge Health District (BRHD) is seeking a Nutritionist Associate to join our dedicated WIC team. This position supports families across Albemarle, Fluvanna, Greene, Louisa, and Nelson counties, as well as the City of Charlottesville. If you're passionate about nutrition, public service, and helping families thrive, we encourage you to apply.

About the Role
As a Nutritionist Associate, you will play a key role in delivering services through the Women, Infants, and Children (WIC) program. You’ll work directly with clients to assess nutritional needs, provide education, and support healthy outcomes for families in our community.

Key responsibilities include:
• Nutrition Education: Interview clients, assess dietary and health risks, determine eligibility, and provide tailored nutrition education in individual or group settings.
• Nutrition Support: Encourage continued participation in nutrition plans, distribute educational materials and supplies, and support clients in understanding WIC policies and benefits.
• Program Support: Register clients, determine eligibility, maintain accurate records, and help ensure a welcoming, efficient, and client-centered clinic environment.

This position will require travel across the district and may require participation in emergency response efforts as needed.

Why Work for BRHD?
At BRHD, we are committed to our mission: to protect and promote the health and well-being of all Virginians. Our vision is working together for healthy, equitable communities, and we live by our values: accountability, communication, diversity, equity, excellence, integrity, respect, and stewardship.

When you join our team, you’re not just taking a job, you’re joining a community of professionals who care deeply about the people we serve and each other.

Here’s what some of our team members say about working here:
• “I chose to work at BRHD because it helps me to match up my interest in science with public service. Working behind the scenes has allowed me the opportunity to protect the lives of thousands of people. This provides an ongoing sense of accomplishment and a true appreciation of the skills of my coworkers.”
• “I love and enjoy the BRHD mission, and it keeps me motivated every day. The benefits package is great. I appreciate the flexible schedule and low stress so that I can take care of my kids and family. Also, working with good people is great.”

This is a restricted position, which is solely funded by the WIC Client Services and WIC Nutrition Education for a year period ending September 30, 2026, pending federal government. The availability of funding is scheduled for review annually and periodically thereafter. Continued employment is contingent on the continued availability of funds.

Benefits of Working at VDH: The Virginia Department of Health offers 12 paid holidays, medical, dental, vision and life insurance, retirement plans (including 401a Cash Match and 457 Deferred Compensation Plan) as well as sick, family/personal, and annual leave. VDH provides a work-life balance as well as opportunities for professional development and advancement.

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
• Experience working in a fast-paced clinic or customer service environment preferred.
• Experience working with diverse populations, including individuals from low-income or in high-stress environments preferred.
  

Special Instructions

You will be provided a confirmation of receipt when your application and/or résumé is submitted successfully. Please refer to “Your Application” in your account to check the status of your application for this position.

VDH accepts only on-line applications. Faxed, mailed, or e-mailed applications will not be considered. Applications are accepted until 11:55 p.m. on the job closing date. Applications and/or resumes should include relevant work history which indicates your qualifications for this position. Supplemental questions are encouraged to be answered in a comprehensive manner and reference any pertinent knowledge, skills, and abilities as well as any previous experience that relates to the position.

Employment is contingent upon satisfactory results of a state and federal criminal history background check and the Department of Social Service’s Child Abuse and Neglect Central Registry check, U.S. HHS IG Exclusion List check, employment reference check, and E-Verify. Other financial, credit, driving, or other background checks or completion of Statement of Economic Interests may be required for certain positions.

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.

If you have been affected by DHRM Policy 1.30 layoff and possess a valid Interagency Placement Screening Form (Yellow Card) or a Preferential Hiring Form (Blue Card), you must submit the card before the closing date for this position. The Card may be submitted with the state application as an attachment.

As a V3 (Virginia Values Veterans) employer, VDH welcomes Veterans to apply!

VDH requires all Health-Care Personnel (HCP) to provide documentation of immunization or evidence of immunity to the following: hepatitis B, measles, mumps, rubella, and varicella; a one-time dose of tetanus, diphtheria, and pertussis (Tdap) vaccine regardless of the interval since the last dose of tetanus-diphtheria (Td) vaccine was administered (Td or Tdap boosters shall be received every 10 years); and the current year’s seasonal influenza vaccination.

Contact Information

Name: Tammy Richardson / Richard Bolden

Phone: 434-422-4556 / 434-972-6271

Email: Tammy.Richardson@vdh.virginia.gov / Richard.Bolden@vdh.virginia.gov

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.