WIC Nutritionist-Waterbury

Optimus Healthcare- A community Health Center driven by one mission: to provide high quality, affordable healthcare to the underserved population regardless of their ability to pay. Optimus is the largest Federally Qualified Health Center providing primary care services in lower Fairfield County, in the cities of Stamford, Bridgeport, Stratford and surrounding areas. If you are a healthcare professional who wants to work in a meaningful, mission-driven workplace where people are committed and passionate about caring for others, OPTIMUS may be for you. We are recruiting to add a WIC Nutritionist to our Waterbury WIC site. This is a fulltime grant funded position. The WIC Nutritionist is responsible for providing nutrition education, information, and referrals to participants of the Wic Program.

Essential Functions & Responsibilities

• As a Competent Professional Authority (CPA) on the staff of the local program, conducts a complete WIC nutrition assessment, determines, and documents nutritional risk of WIC participants as appropriate develops and follow-up on care plans for high-risk participants.
• Provides and document nutrition education, counseling, and breastfeeding support appropriate to the WIC participant.
• Provide Nutrition Education consistent with risk criteria.
• Facilitate participant/caretaker setting goals to address risk criteria or participant concerns.
• Is responsible for appropriate food package assignment and tailoring of WIC food package for WIC participants.
• Issue WIC food package in accordance with Federal and State regulations.
• Assures proper certification of eligible applicants.
• Assists in assuring that WIC meets all Federal, State, and local Agency guidelines.
• Implements the nutrition and breastfeeding promotion and support services component of the local agency plan.
• Collects and enters information for the certification process that includes anthropometric and hematological data collection into the CT-WIC program.
• Provide and document referrals to health and social service programs and appropriate documentation of follow-up.
• Enters all data into CT-WIC computer program accurately.
• Promotes breastfeeding as the normal infant feeding method.
• Assists the program with meeting State and local objectives.
• Attends all mandatory WIC training and all agency training as required.
• Attending conferences to continue professional development, as time and budget allow.
  
  

Job Qualifications/Requirements

EDUCATION: A Bachelor's degree from a four-year institution accredited by a recognized regional accrediting body with a major in foods and nutrition, community nutrition, nutrition education, or nutritional sciences and two years of responsible experience in nutrition in a health agency or health care facility. Successful completion of a Commission on Accreditation/Approval of Dietetics Education (CAADE) accredited/approved supervised practice program (e.g., a Coordinated Program, Dietetic Internship or Approved Pre-Professional Practice/AP4 Program) or a master's degree in nutrition education can qualify for one year of work experience. Persons with a master's degree in nutrition who do not have a bachelor's degree in foods and nutrition must have successfully completed the equivalent subject matter at the graduate level to compensate for any courses not completed at the undergraduate level.

Experience

• College graduate with nutrition related courses/subjects required.
• Education/training or work experience in computer basics and data entry required. Competent in word processing programs, i.e., Microsoft Word, Excel, PowerPoint, etc.
• Effective communication and a one-to-one counseling situation and group setting.
• Knowledge, understanding, and sensitivity to multicultural groups, encompassing their socioeconomic backgrounds.
  
  

LANGUAGE SKILLS: English speaking, bi-lingual a plus. Excellent oral and written skills.

LICENSURE /CERTIFICATION: Certified Lactation Consultant not required but a plus.

Working For Optimus

• OHC provides a fun, fast-paced working environment, where our commitment to quality is present in every job function.
• 100% Outpatient Setting
• Excellent health & welfare benefit options
• Competitive Compensation
• Optimus and its caring, multilingual staff proudly serve our community in a patient-centered environment.
  
  

Optimus is an Equal Opportunity Employer