Nutrition Assistant - WIC Program

Public Health - Seattle & King County is seeking a Nutrition Assistant to provide services at our North Public Health Center. The Nutrition Assistant will provide services to clients participating in the Women, Infants & Children (WIC) Program, assess eligibility, and provide nutrition education to individuals and families - both through individual appointments and in a group or classroom setting. The Nutrition Assistant works closely with Registered Dietitians, Public Health Nurses, Social Workers, Community Health Workers and healthcare workers from community partners.

The Nutrition Assistant will provide services to clients participating in the Women, Infants & Children (WIC) Program, assess eligibility, and provide nutrition education to individuals and families - both through individual appointments and in a group or classroom setting.

Note: This recruitment will be used to create an eligibility pool to fill additional Career Service, Term-Limited Temporary (TLT), or Special Duty Assignment (SDA) vacancies that may occur over the next six months.

Commitment To Equity and Social Justice

Named after Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr., one of the most influential civil rights leaders in our nation's history, King County is a vibrant international community with residents that represent countries from around the world. It is a region with increasing diversity that cherishes the traditions of many cultures.

The county government has a deep commitment to equity and social justice and advancing practices, strategies, and policies that promote fairness, justice, and opportunity for all – in our workplaces and our communities. With this commitment, King County has adopted a pro-equity agenda to advance regional change and ensure that residents from all communities are incorporated into our emergency planning and public outreach efforts.

We recognize that structural racism consists of principles and practices that cause and justify an inequitable distribution of rights, opportunities, and experiences across racial groups. Since declaring Racism is a Public Health Crisis in June 2020, King County and Public Health committed to being intentionally anti-racist and accountable to Black, Indigenous and People of Color communities.

To learn more, please visit http://www.kingcounty.gov/elected/executive/equity-social-justice.aspx

• Gather and assess information for determining health and nutrition risk factors, program eligibility, client education, and referrals. 
• Provide group nutrition education and individual nutrition education, which includes breastfeeding support. 
• Obtain and document anthropometric measurements for infants, children and adults, which may include obtaining blood samples for hemoglobin testing. 
• Respond to telephone inquiries – screen, schedule, and interview diverse clients to determine the appointment type and appropriate provider. 
• Document client information and services and manage appointment schedules in electronic record (Cascades) to support the WIC program. 
• Provide direct customer service to a diverse clientele, providing WIC services, issuing and educating on the use of WIC benefits, determining appointment types needed. 
• Conduct WIC outreach and program tasks, such as generating end-of-day reports and client letters and making referrals to other Public Health services. 
• Participate in WIC-related committees, including breastfeeding promotion activities, clinic health and information fairs, and the WIC Farmers' Market Nutrition Program. 
• Order and maintain program supplies and educational materials. 
• Participate in quality assurance activities. 
• Complete annual WIC training, and continuing nutrition and breastfeeding education requirements. 
• Use Microsoft Outlook and other electronic communication tools to coordinate work and meet training requirements. 
• May be required to lift and lower a child weighing up to 35 pounds onto a surface more than 4 feet high with or without accommodation.
• Other duties as assigned. 

Required:

• Demonstrated proficiency in a variety of computer programs, including, but not limited to, Microsoft Suite – Teams, Word, Excel, and Outlook. 
• Ability to lift and lower a child weighing up to 35 pounds onto a surface more than 4 feet high with or without accommodation. 
• Ability to complete the Washington State WIC paraprofessional competencies within 6 months of hire. 
• Ability to obtain Washington State Medical Assistant-Registered or Phlebotomist certification within 30 days of hire in order to perform hemoglobin/hematocrit testing on WIC participants. 
• Ability to obtain a Washington State food worker card. 
• Must possess a current BLS for Healthcare Providers with AED certification before hire. 
• Ability to apply nutrition and health promotion knowledge/practices in working with clients from diverse backgrounds to make positive changes in health behaviors. 
• Working knowledge of or lived experience with basic nutrition theory and practice, medical terminology, asepsis practices, and universal precautions.
• Demonstrated ability to provide direct client services in a health care setting. 
• Demonstrated knowledge and skills related to basic cooking and food demonstration techniques. 
• Ability to understand various perspectives and listen to others without conveying judgment. 
• Excellent problem solving, priority setting, and organizational abilities. 
• Commitment to equity and racial justice principles and demonstrated ability to serve clients with cultural humility.

Desired:

• Bilingual is highly desired.
• Previous WIC competency-based training Experience conveying nutrition information.

Are you ready to make a difference? Come join the team dedicated to serving one of the nation's best places to live, work and play.

Application Process

If you are interested in pursuing this position and supporting King County’s vision for unified, equitable, and high-performing government, please follow the application instructions carefully. Provide us with your work history as applicable, ensuring that you provide details that highlight your ability to fulfill the requirements for this position.

If you need this announcement in an alternate language or format, or you would like to request accommodation or assistance in the application or assessment process, please contact Sarah Dunkinson ([email protected]). 

King County's Vision, Mission, and ACTIVATE Values unite us.

King County serves residents with a relentless sense of urgency, delivering on commitments with transparency and accountability. We are action-oriented, creative problem solvers who collaborate across roles, engage directly with communities, and challenge the status quo to achieve meaningful impact. As a unified team, we uphold high ethical and stewardship standards, embrace change, stay curious, and continuously improve. Across all interactions, we listen first, act quickly, and stay aligned as a team to earn and sustain public trust. Learn more about our Vision, Mission, and ACTIVATE Values here and visit our Why work at King County page here.

King County is an Equal Employment Opportunity (EEO) Employer

No person is unlawfully excluded from employment opportunities based on sex, race, color, national origin, ethnicity, religious affiliation, disability, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, age except by minimum age and retirement provisions, pregnancy, status as a family caregiver, parental status, marital status, military status or status as a veteran who was honorably discharged or who was discharged solely as a result of the person's sexual orientation or gender identity or expression, citizenship or immigration status, genetic information, or other protected class. However, to the extent that distinction or differential treatment on the basis of citizenship or immigration status is authorized by either federal or state law, regulation, or government contract, it is not an unfair practice.

Our EEO policy applies to all employment actions, including but not limited to recruitment, hiring, selection for training, promotion, transfer, demotion, layoff, termination, rates of pay or other forms of compensation.

The following items are required to be considered for this vacancy:

• NEOGOV Job Application (The responses on your job application should be thorough and complete and will be used in the screening process)
• Supplemental Questions (The responses to the supplemental questions should be thorough and complete and will be used in the screening process)
• Cover Letter
• Resume 

Your application may be rejected as incomplete if you do not include the relevant information in the application. Cover letters and/or resumes are not accepted in lieu of a completed application. Applications and/or Supplemental Questionnaires that state "see my resume" or "see my personnel file" are considered incomplete and will not be accepted.

Necessary Special Requirements

Work Schedule

This position is Monday-Friday, 8:00am-5:00pm. This position is non-exempt and eligible for overtime. 

 Work Location 

This position is located at 10521 Meridian Avenue North, 2nd Floor, Seattle, WA 98133. 

Employees must reside in Washington state and within a reasonable distance to their King County worksite to respond to workplace reporting requirements. 

Union Membership

This position is represented by PROTEC 17 Labor Union. 

Contact

For questions about this recruitment, please contact Sarah Dunkinson ([email protected]).