Department: Department of Veterans Affairs
Location(s): Columbia, South Carolina
Salary Range: $50460 - $97087 Per Year
Job Summary: Nutrition and Food Services are actively recruiting for one (1) Dietitian (Clinical) within the Community Living Center. Meeting the needs of all customers while supporting the Medical Center and Service missions. Consistently communicates and treats customers (patients, visitors, volunteers, and all Medical Center staff) in a courteous, tactful, and respectful manner. Provides the customers with consistent information according to established policies and procedures.
Major Duties:
Qualifications: BASIC REQUIREMENTS. a. Citizenship. Be a citizen of the United States (U.S.). Non-citizens may be appointed when it is not possible to recruit qualified citizens in accordance with 38 U.S.C. § 7407(a). English Language Proficiency. Dietitian candidates must be proficient in spoken and written English in accordance with 38 U.S.C. § 7403(f). Registration. All applicants must hold the RDN credential from the Commission on Dietetic Registration (CDR) the credentialing agency of the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics. Note: Applicants who hold the RDN credential have met the education requirement (e.g. bachelor's degree or higher) of CDR, as such this occupation is considered professional and scientific with a positive education requirement and the procedures in Part I, Chapter 4 of this Handbook will be followed when applying Veteran's preference. Exception for Dietitians who do not possess the RDN credential. (a) Non-credentialed Dietitians who meet the basic qualification requirements and have fulfilled the requirements below, but do not possess the RDN credential, may be given a temporary full-time appointment not to exceed one year under the authority of 38 U.S.C. § 7405(c) (2). Non-credentialed Dietitians must have fulfilled each of the following: Earned a bachelor's or higher degree from a U.S. regionally accredited college, university or foreign equivalent (refer to ii below).Completed an ACEND® accredited experiential or supervised practice program and provide a verification statement from the program director that conveys eligibility to take the CDR registration exam as a prospective RDN. A list of ACEND® accredited programs is located on the ACEND® website or at ACEND Accredited Programs Directory. ii Foreign Education. To be creditable, college and/or university degrees earned outside the U.S and its territories must be evaluated by ACEND® and meet ACEND®'s International Dietitian Education standards which are designed to provide graduates with the knowledge and competencies to sit for the CDR credentialing exam. Non-credentialed Dietitians may only be appointed at the GS-07 or GS-09 grade level and may not be promoted/converted until they obtain their RDN credential. Non-credentialed Dietitians must provide care under the supervision of a RDN at or above the full performance level. Temporary appointments of non-credentialed Dietitian will not be extended beyond one year or converted to a new temporary appointment. Failure to Obtain Registration. In all cases, Dietitians must actively pursue meeting registration requirements starting from their appointment date. At the time of appointment, servicing Human Resources (HR) staff in collaboration with the supervisor, will provide non-registered Dietitians the written requirement to obtain registration, the date by which they must acquire it and the consequences for not doing so by the deadline. Failure to obtain registration within one year from the date of appointment will result in removal from the Dietitian, GS-0630 occupation and may result in termination of employment. Loss of Credential. In collaboration with HR Office staff, management officials must immediately relieve employees who fail to maintain the required registration/certification of duties and responsibilities associated with the occupation and/or assignment, which may also result in separation from employment. GRADE DETERMINATIONS. All individuals assigned to this occupation must meet all the basic qualification requirements in paragraph 3 a-f and all the requirements defined in the specific assignment. Dietitian (Clinical),GS-07. Experience or Education. None beyond the basic requirements. Assignment. Employees in this assignment serve in a Dietitian (Clinical) entry-level developmental position. They work under the guidance of a Dietitian who is at the full performance level or above, performing increasingly complex tasks designed to prepare them for promotion. Clinical Dietitians conduct nutrition assessments for patients with lower acuity using the NCP while developing skills to apply evidence-based nutrition practice guidelines. Clinical Dietitians learn to interpret research, apply whole health principles and develop patient-centered goals. They develop skills in accurate record keeping of clinical activities and complete patient encounters using approved systems. Clinical Dietitians comply with The Joint Commission (TJC) requirements and other accrediting agency standards to ensure safe and quality patient care. They collaborate with the Food Operations Section to enhance the Veterans' dining experience and ensure patient satisfaction. Dietitian (Clinical),GS-09 Experience. At least one year of experience equivalent to the next lower grade level. OR Education. Master's degree from a regionally accredited university or college. Knowledge, Skills and Abilities. In addition to the experience or education above, the candidate must demonstrate the following KSAs: (a) Knowledge of various accrediting and regulatory requirements. (b) Knowledge of virtual technology to provide nutrition care. (c) Ability to deliver patient care using the NCP (e.g., assessment, diagnosis, intervention, monitoring and evaluation). (d) Ability to apply evidence-based nutrition practices to improve patient outcomes. (e) Ability to develop patient-centered goals. (f) Ability to collect data for performance improvement studies. (g) Ability to collaborate with stakeholders. Dietitian (Clinical), GS-11 Experience. At least one year of experience as an RDN equivalent to the next lower grade. Knowledge, Skills and Abilities. In addition to the experience above, the candidate must demonstrate the following KSAs: (a) Skill in delivering patient care using the NCP (e.g., assessment, diagnosis, intervention, monitoring and evaluation). (b) Skill in interpreting research to apply evidence-based nutrition practices to improve patient outcomes. (c) Skill in developing patient-centered goals. (d) Skill in analyzing data for performance improvement studies. (e) Skill in collaborating with stakeholders.(f) Ability to comply with various accrediting, regulatory and agency authorities. Reference: For more information on this qualification standard, please visit https://www.va.gov/ohrm/QualificationStandards/. The full performance level of this vacancy is GS-11. The actual grade at which an applicant may be selected for this vacancy is in the range of GS-7 to GS-11. Physical Requirements: See VA Directive and Handbook 5019, Employee Occupational Health Service for requirements.
How to Apply: All applicants are encouraged to apply online. To apply for this position, you must complete the full questionnaire and submit the documentation specified in the Required Documents section below. The complete application package must be submitted by 11:59 PM (ET) on 01/23/2026 to receive consideration. To preview the questionnaire click https://apply.usastaffing.gov/ViewQuestionnaire/12864292. To begin, click Apply Online to create a USAJOBS account or log in to your existing account. Follow the prompts to select your USA JOBS resume and/or other supporting documents and complete the occupational questionnaire. Click Submit My Answers to submit your application package. NOTE: It is your responsibility to ensure your responses and appropriate documentation is submitted prior to the closing date.
Application Deadline: 2026-01-23