Department: Prevention Science Institute
Rank: Research Assistant (Type B)
Annual Basis: 12 Month

Review of Applications Begins

Immediately. To ensure consideration, please apply by December 1, 2023; position open until filled.

Special Instructions to Applicants

Please submit a current resume and cover letter along with three professional references, including names and contact information.

Department Summary

The Prevention Science Institute at the University of Oregon is a multidisciplinary research institute focused on improving the lives of children, families, and adults through science, outreach, and program delivery. The PSI includes faculty from across the University of Oregon who work together to understand prevention and health promotion through translational science and applied intervention research.

We conduct research from multiple perspectives, including translational research that focuses on interactions between the brain, social context, and behavior; developing, testing, and delivering effective intervention programs; and efficacious ways to disseminate programs into community, agency, and school settings.

Position Summary

The Nutrition Interventionist works as a group co-facilitator, service provider, and dietary assessment coordinator. The position is part of a federally funded grant that is aimed at improving healthy lifestyle habits including dietary intake and exercise among teens with obesity and demonstrating an overall reduction in adolescent body mass index (BMI). In a facilitation role, the nutrition interventionist provides educational materials and effective strategies to adolescents and caregivers alongside a behavioral health interventionist.

The Nutrition Interventionist performs work in the field of dietary healthcare that requires advanced knowledge and consistently exercises discretion and independent judgment. This position will also play an important role in educating, organizing, and guiding the progression of research objectives. This role requires a high level of organization and communication to facilitate collaboration within the research team.

Main duties include establishing short and long-term health goals with participants, teaching about health and nutrition, and developing effective nutritional plans for clients. The Nutrition Interventionist will routinely and confidentially check in on the participant’s progress and provide advice and support on staying healthy. Nutritionists are responsible for staying current on professional guidelines (e.g., Dietetics Association Guidelines 2022) to ensure they’re providing evidence-based guidance that aligns with field best practices to participants and co-facilitators.

This position will report to Dr. Wendy Hadley and will work closely with the entire research team to ensure that research project metrics are on track to be met. Interventionists will also participate in weekly and monthly supervision sessions to ensure fidelity across sites and effective implementation of intervention components with caregivers and adolescents.

The Nutrition Interventionist must be able to travel throughout Eugene and to Portland, including to areas not frequented by public transportation.

This position requires flexible scheduling, including the ability to work occasional evenings and weekends.

Minimum Requirements

• Registered Dietitian with the Commission on Dietetics Registration, OR Master’s degree in Dietetics, Public Health Nutrition, or Nutrition.
• Experience working with adolescents including knowledge of adolescent development.
• Experience interacting with families and caregivers.
• Experience providing dietary feedback to adolescents and parents in a healthcare setting.

Professional Competencies

• Exceptional time management skills, with a strong attention to detail and thoroughness.
• Excellent planning and prioritization skills.
• Effective communication skills including the ability to obtain, provide, or exchange information with project collaborators and staff, a capacity for sensitivity, confidentiality, and diligence with regard to personnel and human subjects information.
• Public presentation skills.
• Ability to provide positive feedback in an appropriate, clinically informed manner.
• Multi-cultural competence and experience working in diverse communities.

Preferred Qualifications

• Experience with behavioral health interventions and/ or caregiver training/education interventions.
• Licensed to practice or be eligible for a license, in the state of Oregon.
• Experience supporting adolescents and adults with implementation of healthy lifestyle and dietary changes.
• Experience working with individuals from diverse backgrounds.
• Experience collaborating with a variety of disciplines and social service agencies.
• Experience with intervention research and/ or randomized controlled trial research methodology.

The University of Oregon is proud to offer a robust benefits package to eligible employees, including health insurance, retirement plans and paid time off. For more information about benefits, visit http://hr.uoregon.edu/careers/about-benefits.

The University of Oregon is an equal opportunity, affirmative action institution committed to cultural diversity and compliance with the ADA. The University encourages all qualified individuals to apply, and does not discriminate on the basis of any protected status, including veteran and disability status. The University is committed to providing reasonable accommodations to applicants and employees with disabilities. To request an accommodation in connection with the application process, please contact us at uocareers@uoregon.edu or 541-346-5112.

UO prohibits discrimination on the basis of race, color, sex, national or ethnic origin, age, religion, marital status, disability, veteran status, sexual orientation, gender identity, and gender expression in all programs, activities and employment practices as required by Title IX, other applicable laws, and policies. Retaliation is prohibited by UO policy. Questions may be referred to the Title IX Coordinator, Office of Civil Rights Compliance, or to the Office for Civil Rights. Contact information, related policies, and complaint procedures are listed on the statement of non-discrimination.

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