Plan and conduct food service or nutritional programs to assist in the promotion of health and control of disease. May supervise activities of a department providing quantity food services, counsel individuals, or conduct nutritional research.

Assess nutritional needs, diet restrictions and current health plans to develop and implement dietary-care plans and provide nutritional counseling. Consult with physicians and health care personnel to determine nutritional needs and diet restrictions of patient or client. Advise patients and their families on nutritional principles, dietary plans and diet modifications, and food selection and preparation. Counsel individuals and groups on basic rules of good nutrition, healthy eating habits, and nutrition monitoring to improve their quality of life. Monitor food service operations to ensure conformance to nutritional, safety, sanitation and quality standards. Coordinate recipe development and standardization and develop new menus for independent food service operations. Develop policies for food service or nutritional programs to assist in health promotion and disease control. Inspect meals served for conformance to prescribed diets and standards of palatability and appearance. Develop curriculum and prepare manuals, visual aids, course outlines, and other materials used in teaching. Prepare and administer budgets for food, equipment and supplies. Purchase food in accordance with health and safety codes. Select, train and supervise workers who plan, prepare and serve meals. Manage quantity food service departments or clinical and community nutrition services. Coordinate diet counseling services. Advise food service managers and organizations on sanitation, safety procedures, menu development, budgeting, and planning to assist with the establishment, operation, and evaluation of food service facilities and nutrition programs. Organize, develop, analyze, test, and prepare special meals such as low-fat, low-cholesterol and chemical-free meals. Plan, conduct, and evaluate dietary, nutritional, and epidemiological research. Plan and conduct training programs in dietetics, nutrition, and institutional management and administration for medical students, health-care personnel and the general public. Make recommendations regarding public policy, such as nutrition labeling, food fortification, and nutrition standards for school programs. Write research reports and other publications to document and communicate research findings. Plan and prepare grant proposals to request program funding. Test new food products and equipment. Confer with design, building, and equipment personnel to plan for construction and remodeling of food service units.

Education and Training -- Knowledge of principles and methods for curriculum and training design, teaching and instruction for individuals and groups, and the measurement of training effects. Customer and Personal Service -- Knowledge of principles and processes for providing customer and personal services. This includes customer needs assessment, meeting quality standards for services, and evaluation of customer satisfaction. English Language -- Knowledge of the structure and content of the English language including the meaning and spelling of words, rules of composition, and grammar. Medicine and Dentistry -- Knowledge of the information and techniques needed to diagnose and treat human injuries, diseases, and deformities. This includes symptoms, treatment alternatives, drug properties and interactions, and preventive health-care measures. Psychology -- Knowledge of human behavior and performance; individual differences in ability, personality, and interests; learning and motivation; psychological research methods; and the assessment and treatment of behavioral and affective disorders. Therapy and Counseling -- Knowledge of principles, methods, and procedures for diagnosis, treatment, and rehabilitation of physical and mental dysfunctions, and for career counseling and guidance. Mathematics -- Knowledge of arithmetic, algebra, geometry, calculus, statistics, and their applications. Food Production -- Knowledge of techniques and equipment for planting, growing, and harvesting food products (both plant and animal) for consumption, including storage/handling techniques. Sociology and Anthropology -- Knowledge of group behavior and dynamics, societal trends and influences, human migrations, ethnicity, cultures and their history and origins. Computers and Electronics -- Knowledge of circuit boards, processors, chips, electronic equipment, and computer hardware and software, including applications and programming.

Active Listening -- Giving full attention to what other people are saying, taking time to understand the points being made, asking questions as appropriate, and not interrupting at inappropriate times. Reading Comprehension -- Understanding written sentences and paragraphs in work related documents. Instructing -- Teaching others how to do something. Speaking -- Talking to others to convey information effectively. Writing -- Communicating effectively in writing as appropriate for the needs of the audience. Time Management -- Managing one's own time and the time of others. Critical Thinking -- Using logic and reasoning to identify the strengths and weaknesses of alternative solutions, conclusions or approaches to problems. Active Learning -- Understanding the implications of new information for both current and future problem-solving and decision-making. Judgment and Decision Making -- Considering the relative costs and benefits of potential actions to choose the most appropriate one. Social Perceptiveness -- Being aware of others' reactions and understanding why they react as they do.

Oral Expression -- The ability to communicate information and ideas in speaking so others will understand. Written Comprehension -- The ability to read and understand information and ideas presented in writing. Speech Clarity -- The ability to speak clearly so others can understand you. Inductive Reasoning -- The ability to combine pieces of information to form general rules or conclusions (includes finding a relationship among seemingly unrelated events). Deductive Reasoning -- The ability to apply general rules to specific problems to produce answers that make sense. Problem Sensitivity -- The ability to tell when something is wrong or is likely to go wrong. It does not involve solving the problem, only recognizing there is a problem. Oral Comprehension -- The ability to listen to and understand information and ideas presented through spoken words and sentences. Near Vision -- The ability to see details at close range (within a few feet of the observer). Written Expression -- The ability to communicate information and ideas in writing so others will understand. Speech Recognition -- The ability to identify and understand the speech of another person.

Interpreting the Meaning of Information for Others -- Translating or explaining what information means and how it can be used. Documenting/Recording Information -- Entering, transcribing, recording, storing, or maintaining information in written or electronic/magnetic form. Analyzing Data or Information -- Identifying the underlying principles, reasons, or facts of information by breaking down information or data into separate parts. Updating and Using Relevant Knowledge -- Keeping up-to-date technically and applying new knowledge to your job. Getting Information -- Observing, receiving, and otherwise obtaining information from all relevant sources. Communicating with Supervisors, Peers, or Subordinates -- Providing information to supervisors, co-workers, and subordinates by telephone, in written form, e-mail, or in person. Making Decisions and Solving Problems -- Analyzing information and evaluating results to choose the best solution and solve problems. Interacting With Computers -- Using computers and computer systems (including hardware and software) to program, write software, set up functions, enter data, or process information. Assisting and Caring for Others -- Providing personal assistance, medical attention, emotional support, or other personal care to others such as coworkers, customers, or patients. Identifying Objects, Actions, and Events -- Identifying information by categorizing, estimating, recognizing differences or similarities, and detecting changes in circumstances or events.