Washington County's Public Health Division is seeking a Nutrition Technician to join our Women, Infants, and Children (WIC) Program. We are looking for candidates who are bilingual in Spanish/English!
WIC is a program focused on nutrition education, breastfeeding support, health and diet screening, growth monitoring, and program referrals for pregnant, breastfeeding and postpartum women, infants and children up to 5 years of age. WIC serves families from many different cultural and ethnic traditions, languages, backgrounds and abilities. It is designed to promote positive health outcomes, strengthen life course nutrition and health, and reduce health disparities in the populations served.
Washington County is committed to building a workforce that reflects the community we serve. In that spirit, we encourage applicants of diverse backgrounds and experience to apply.
About the position:
In this position, you will be responsible for participant enrollment, orientation, benefit issuance, and participant files maintenance. You will also identify and make nutrition and other health-related referrals, perform participant risk assessments, and provide nutrition education in individual and group settings. Additionally, you will provide participant-centered nutrition and breastfeeding information, education, and counseling to WIC participants as well as assess participant nutrition status and eligibility for the WIC Supplemental Food Program. Moreover, you will get to travel to several clinic locations in Washington County, as needed.
Bilingual Positions:
Designated bilingual positions require that the incumbent have knowledge of the Spanish language, spelling, grammar, and punctuation. Skill in writing Spanish accurately; ability to speak Spanish fluently; and ability to communicate clearly and concisely both orally and in writing are required. If you possess these skills, you are encouraged to apply. An additional $75/per pay period for bilingual skills will be paid to qualified employees. Pay periods are every two weeks.
What we are looking for:
- Experience in screening, counseling, and providing information or education to WIC participants.
- Training or experience in the WIC Program regulations for eligibility, food benefits, and education.
- Demonstrated ability to understand and represent Black, Indigenous or People of Color (BIPOC) communities and/or a self-identified individual currently or formerly accessing WIC services.
- Education or experience in the principles of public health, maternal and child nutrition education, and breastfeeding education.
- Training and experience with participant centered counseling and assessment techniques for culturally diverse participants.
- Knowledge and understanding of the origins and results of the disparities experienced by individuals and families related to racism and socio-economic injustices.
- Direct breastfeeding experience or formal lactation education is highly desired.
Studies have shown that women and people of color are less likely to apply for jobs unless they believe they can perform every job description task. We are most interested in finding the best candidate for the job and that candidate may come from a variety of backgrounds and lived experiences. If you are interested in applying, we encourage you to think broadly about your background and skill set for the role, even if you believe you do not meet all the hiring criteria described above.
ESSENTIAL JOB DUTIES
Classification descriptions are typically written broadly. To review this classification, please use this link: Nutrition Technician.
MINIMUM QUALIFICATIONS
Education and Experience:
- Possession of a high school diploma or equivalent; AND Two (2) years of work experience in the health care, community health, or social services field; OR
- Two (2) years of college-level training in health occupations may substitute for one (1) year of work experience.
Additional Licenses, Certificates, Physical Abilities and Specialty Requirements:
- Must be prepared to respond to public health emergencies or exercises at any time, except while on scheduled vacation or other leave. Must successfully complete basic incident management courses and participate in emergency response trainings as requested.
- Must protect the privacy and security of protected health information as defined in State and Federal law.
- Must adhere to Federal and State OSHA guidelines, including but not limited to timely completion of mandatory trainings.
- Must pass bilingual proficiency assessment.
Background Investigation:
Please be advised that this position is required to pass a criminal background check post offer.