Overview

The mission of the USDA Human Nutrition Research Center on Aging at Tufts University (HNRCA) is to promote healthy aging through nutrition science to empower people seeking to enjoy long, active, and independent lives. HNRCA investigators examine how nutrition and physical activity play a role in the prevention of the major chronic degenerative conditions and diseases associated with aging.

The Metabolic Research Unit (MRU) is an HNRCA scientific core that supports and facilitates the clinical aspects of data and biological sample collection from volunteer human subjects. MRU staff provide nursing, dietary, participant engagement, and study management services. The Dietary Assessment Unit (DAU) provides expertise and services in dietary data collection methods, coding, data cleaning and management, and dietary data analysis, as well as assistance in the development of dietary intervention sections of new protocols, advice on dietary data collection methodologies, production of manuals of procedures and other nutrition-related materials, and development of new methodologies to improve the collection of dietary data.

This is a grant-funded position and is not eligible for severance pay. 

The Research Dietitian will work with principal investigators to develop and implement research-driven feeding protocols, will translate those protocols into standardized operating procedures that ensure high-quality food service by the HNRCA metabolic kitchen, and will work with dietary technicians and other MRU/DAU staff on menu development and the delivery of research diets related to human nutrition studies.

The Research Dietitian will also lead and/or participate in dietary screening of study participants for various research protocols; administering protocol-specific instructions/dietary guidance to active study participants; developing and implementing research diets; managing dietary data collected by MRU; training and instructing diet technicians, dietetic interns, and other dietary staff.

The Research Dietitian will also lead and/or participate in the administration and review of dietary assessment tools for multiple protocols, including food records, 24-hour recalls, and food frequency questionnaires.

The Research Dietitian will also assist with data entry/coding and quality control checks of dietary data collected by the MRU/DAU. In addition, they will assist the DAU/MRU Manager in the following: DAU-related literature searches; development and validation of new dietary assessment tools as required with new protocols; and recruitment, hiring, on-boarding, and training of permanent and temporary MRU and DAU staff.

What We're Looking For

Basic Requirements:

• MS in Nutrition, Dietetics, or equivalent
• Registered Dietitian (RD)
• One to two years of experience in a research setting
• Microsoft Office, Medline/PubMed, familiarity with nutrition assessment databases
• Strong verbal communication skills; interacts well with others
• Ability to obtain ServSafe and Collaborative Institutional Training Initiative (CITI) training to work with human subjects within one month of start date

Preferred Qualifications:

• Massachusetts License for Dietitians/Nutritionists (LDN)
• Experience with Nutrition Data Systems for Research (NDSR) or similar food analysis program and familiarity with U.S. food items and food patterns
• Two or more years of research experience

Special Work Schedule Requirements: 

• This position may occasionally require work on evenings and/or weekends as determined by study need.
  

Pay Range

Minimum $58,750.00, Midpoint $73,550.00, Maximum $88,300.00

Salary is based on related experience, expertise, and internal equity; generally, new hires can expect pay between the minimum and midpoint of the range.