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Public Health Nutrition Consultant Series

Public Health Nutrition Consultant Series

California State Personnel Board Specification

 

Public Health Nutrition Consultant Series Specification - Class Titles and Codes
Schem Code Class Code Class TitleProbation Period​
TU73 2163 Public Health Nutrition Consultant I​12 Months
TU72 2162 Public Health Nutrition Consultant II​12 Months
TU71 2166 Public Health Nutrition Consultant III (Specialist)​12 Months
TU70 2161 Public Health Nutrition Consultant III (Supervisory)​12 Months

 

SALARY INFORMATION

 

Description of Series

This series specification describes four professional level classes used in administering public health nutrition programs. 

 

Incumbents in the Public Health Nutrition Consultant class series are responsible for the interpretation and application of scientific knowledge of nutrition in organizing and carrying out programs for the promotion of positive health, the prevention and dietary control of chronic and debilitating diseases and consultation with administrators, medical and paramedical personnel on current scientific findings in food and nutrition and their application to local health departments, area agencies on aging, and other organizations.

 

Incumbents provide technical assistance, consultation and training to professional and allied health groups inside and outside of the department, staff of public health departments, and other community agencies in the planning and value of an adequate diet, how to use available foods, and how to make prescribed dietary modifications with special emphasis on instruction directed to persons most susceptible to nutritional difficulties, such as expectant and nursing mothers, infants, children, teenagers, patients with chronic/terminal diseases, and the aged. Incumbents may also provide training on food service management, such as food safety and sanitation.

 

Incumbents in these classes are concerned with public health and institutional nutrition program and administrative consultation to individuals, public and private health agencies, and other local, State and Federal entities on matters pertaining to the planning, development, implementation, operation, administration, evaluation, and monitoring of public health and institutional nutrition programs and projects. Incumbents coordinate nutrition services with other programs and agencies; determine nutrition needs and problems of populations served; plan, organize, conduct, and evaluate or oversee dietary and nutrition studies.

 

Incumbents also develop and evaluate programs, standards, policies, and procedures in one or more program areas; select, review, evaluate, develop, promote, and coordinate nutrition education and food service management workshops, programs, and educational material; serve as a liaison among local, State, and Federal agencies administering nutrition programs and/or projects; serve as an intermediary between State and Federal funding sources in soliciting, allocating, and monitoring contracts and grants; interpret and apply nutrition and institutional care program regulations, policies, standards, and current research findings to civic, educational, governmental, and other concerned groups and take enforcement and/or corrective action to achieve compliance; participate in and conduct case conferences and staff meetings; design data collection systems, gather related data and develop systems for analysis, assessment and maintenance of such data; report progress and activities at regular intervals; prepare correspondence and reports; and represent the department in meetings, committees, conferences, and hearings.

 

Public Health Nutrition Consultant I

This is the training and first working level. Under close supervision, as a trainee, incumbents will be given training to develop and strengthen skills in interpretation, application, consultation, and program planning in public health nutrition, and to gain experience as a public health nutritionist at the State level. Incumbents will be required to perform the more routine assignments in order to apply the principles and methods of public health nutrition, and to develop the knowledge and skills necessary for the successful performance at the first working level.

 

At the first working level, incumbents work under supervision in an assigned geographic area or special subject matter area. Incumbents provide the less complex nutrition, administrative and program consultation, evaluation, and technical assistance to public and private institutions and agencies on the delivery of nutrition-related services; plan, evaluate, and monitor the less complex nutrition services, programs, and studies; participate in the development and evaluation of nutrition and program policies, procedures, and standards; assist in developing, coordinating, and conducting training programs; assist in the more complex health programs, studies, or reports; and perform other related work.

 

Public Health Nutrition Consultant II

This is the full journey level. Under general supervision, in an assigned geographic area or special subject matter area, independently provides complex nutrition and program consultation and technical assistance to public and private agencies on the delivery of nutrition-related services; plans, develops, organizes, monitors, and evaluates nutrition and food service programs and studies; develops, coordinates, and conducts training programs; may also serve in a lead capacity to nutrition consultants and other health-related multidisciplinary staff; develops and evaluates program standards, policies, and procedures of average difficulty; researches and writes articles and reports for various audiences; and perform other related work.

 

Public Health Nutrition Consultant III (Specialist)

Positions at this level function as the nonsupervisory technical specialist in a difficult, complex, and/or sensitive program and policy development role, and are those where the level of expertise required is definably greater than the journey level. Incumbents serve as highly skilled technical program consultants or as recognized authorities in areas of extreme sensitivity or complexity, or in areas of high specialization. Incumbents have statewide responsibility for the nutrition and related components of a major statewide project or program and may have coordinating or lead responsibility for nutrition and other professional-technical health staff. The policy and/or program development responsibility at this level has significant impact on health programs of local, State, or Federal agencies. It has the potential for resulting in establishment of new programs, or major modification of existing programs.

 

Under general direction, incumbents provide the most complex consultation; develop, plan, organize, coordinate, implement, and evaluate the nutrition and related components of major statewide projects or programs; evaluate and ensure statewide program consistency; provide professional and administrative guidance to program/project staff in a lead capacity; propose and develop programs, legislation, regulations, policy, and procedures; and perform other related work.

 

Public Health Nutrition Consultant III (Supervisory)

This is the first, working level supervisor. Under general direction, incumbents supervise a small to moderate group of nutrition consultants. Incumbents may also have supervisory responsibility for a multi-disciplinary nutritionist, administrative, and clerical staff. Incumbents personally perform the most difficult, complex, or sensitive consultation, policy, and program development work.

 

Entry Level

Entry into this series may be at any level.

 

Factors Affecting Position Allocation

Factors affecting position allocation include the size, scope, and complexity of the program in which the consultant works; independence of action; level of decision making; degree of program and policy development, and implementation responsibility; degree of originality and initiative required; supervision received; and supervision exercised.

 

Minimum Qualifications

All Levels:

Registration with the Commission on Dietetic Registration of the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics. (Applicants who are eligible to apply for registration will be admitted to the examination, but must become registered to be eligible for appointment.)

 

Public Health Nutrition Consultant I

Possession of a master's degree in nutrition, dietetics, institutional management, public health nutrition, or other nutrition field.

 

Public Health Nutrition Consultant II

Either I

One year of experience performing the duties of a Public Health Nutrition Consultant I, Range B, in California state service; or

 

II

Experience: Two years of professional experience in nutrition or dietetics gained after obtaining eligibility for registration with the Commission on Dietetic Registration of the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics, at least one year of which shall have been as a nutrition consultant in a public health agency or as an institutional dietary consultant. (Experience gained in California state service applied toward this pattern must include one year performing the duties of a classification with a level of responsibility equivalent to Public Health Nutrition Consultant I, Range B.), and

 

Education: Possession of a master's degree in nutrition, dietetics, institutional management, or public health nutrition, or other nutrition field.

 

Public Health Nutrition Consultant III (Specialist) and (Supervisory)

Either I

Two years of experience performing the duties of a Public Health Nutrition Consultant II in California state service; or

 

II

Experience: Four years of increasingly responsible professional experience in nutrition or dietetics gained after obtaining eligibility for registration with the Commission on Dietetic Registration of the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics, at least two years of which shall have been as a nutrition consultant in a public health agency or as an institutional dietary consultant. (Experience gained in California state service applied toward this pattern must include two years performing the duties of a classification with a level of responsibility equivalent to Public Health Nutrition Consultant II.), and

 

Education: Possession of a master's degree in nutrition, dietetics, institutional management, or public health nutrition, or other nutrition field.

 

Knowledge and Abilities

Public Health Nutrition Consultant I

Knowledge of: All levels must be familiar with the principles, practices, methods, techniques, procedures, materials, trends, and literature of nutrition, normal and therapeutic nutrition, recommended food requirements based on body needs for different age and occupational groups, expectant mothers and lactating women, and others with special food requirements, such as the chronic and terminally ill; environmental, sociological, cultural, and biological factors which influence food practices; nutrition and its application in the dietary control of disease as applied in public health programs; methods and techniques used in nutrition investigations and dietary studies; principles of program planning; principles of food safety and sanitation; educational methods in training others in the principles of nutrition and their application to various phases of public health programs; community and public health nutrition programs; comparative costs of various foods in relation to their nutritional values; community health organizations, resources, and current social and economic problems pertaining to public health nutrition; principles of group feeding and institutional management; consultative techniques; principles, programs, and practices of public health administration at national, State, and community levels; and principles and methodology of research and statistical analysis.

 

Ability to: Learn, interpret, and apply State and Federal rules, regulations, policies, and procedures; effectively provide consultation and technical assistance; establish and maintain the confidence of and productive working relationships with other health disciplines, agencies, organizations, and the public; communicate nutrition knowledge for application by other disciplines and the public; analyze menus and diets for nutritional adequacy; reason logically and creatively; analyze situations accurately and take effective action; develop and effectively utilize all available resources; be flexible in approach to the solution of problems; develop and evaluate alternatives; implement and evaluate less complex programs, studies, and projects; conduct assigned portions of conferences, workshops, and training programs; communicate effectively; and prepare reports.

 

Public Health Nutrition Consultant II

Knowledge of: All of the above, and administration and organization of health care delivery systems; techniques of program planning, development, monitoring, and evaluation; related Federal, State, and local laws, regulations, rules, and policies; legislative processes; principles and practices of public administration including organization, personnel, fiscal, and contract management; operational and/or design problems related to food services in facilities for group care such as nursing homes and hospitals, or institutional food services; quality assurance methodology; and nutrition and its application in the dietary control of disease as applied in public health programs.

 

Ability to: All of the above, and work independently; apply to public health programs the principles, techniques, and practices of nutrition; apply the methods and techniques used in nutrition investigations and dietary studies; develop, implement, coordinate and evaluate nutrition programs, services, studies, and projects of average difficulty in public health agencies; train others in the principles of nutrition and their application to various phases of public health programs; recommend action on a variety of nutrition programs, project activities, staffing, and budgetary processes; and develop and analyze proposed legislation, regulations, and health program standards of average difficulty.

 

Public Health Nutrition Consultant III (Specialist)

Knowledge of: All of the above, and in-depth knowledge of nutrition in one or more specialty area(s) such as an age group or physiological condition or nutrition services management in institutions; management problem-solving methods; interagency and interdisciplinary relationships; and current trends in the fields of nutrition and health care services.

 

Ability to: All of the above, and ability to apply in-depth nutrition knowledge in a specialized public health program area; develop, implement, and evaluate the most complex, controversial, sensitive, and/or difficult programs, studies, and projects.

 

Public Health Nutrition Consultant III (Supervisory)

Knowledge of: All of the above, and principles and practices of effective personnel management and supervision; techniques of employee training and development; the department's equal employment opportunity objectives; a supervisor's role in equal employment opportunity; and the processes available to meet equal employment objectives.

 

Preferred or Desirable Qualifications

All employees shall have general qualifications as described by California Code of Regulations, title 2, section 172.

 

Special Personal Characteristics

All Levels:

Willingness to travel in an assigned area or throughout the State, work irregular hours, and possession of a valid driver license.

 

Class History

Public Health Nutrition Consultant Series History - Dates Established, Revised, and Title Changed
Class Date Established Date Revised​Date Abolished Title Changed
Public Health Nutrition Consultant I 07/11/1963  10/07/2021
Public Health Nutrition Consultant II 05/04/1951  10/07/2021
Public Health Nutrition Consultant III (Specialist) 02/24/1988  10/07/2021
Public Health Nutrition Consultant III (Supervisory) 07/11/1963  10/07/2021

02/24/1988

 

Alternate Range Criteria

Public Health Nutrition Consultant I Range A /Range B

When the requirements for the particular criteria are met, and upon recommendation of the appointing power, the employee may receive a rate under provisions of California Code of Regulations, title 2, section 599.676.

Range A. This range shall apply to incumbents who do not meet the criteria for payment in Range B.

Range B. This range shall apply to persons who have either (1) 12 months of satisfactory experience in California state service performing the duties of a Public Health Nutrition Consultant I, Range A; or (2) one year of professional experience gained after obtaining eligibility or registration with Commission on Dietetic Registration of the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics. This experience must be equivalent to the Public Health Nutrition Consultant I, Range A, and involve responsibility for performing as a Public Health Nutrition Consultant or as an institutional dietary consultant.

  Updated: 1/6/2022
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