Nutrition Program Director Jobs in California (NOW HIRING)

The Program Director, Dietetic Internship is responsible for the strategic leadership, administration, accreditation, and continuous quality improvement of the UC San Diego Health Dietetic Internship Program. This position provides comprehensive oversight of all aspects of the accredited internship program, ensuring compliance with Accreditation Council for Education in Nutrition and Dietetics (ACEND) standards while fostering an exceptional educational experience that prepares interns for entry-level practice as registered dietitians.

The Program Director oversees recruitment, selection, onboarding, curriculum implementation, competency assessment, clinical rotations, and program evaluation for up to 10 dietetic interns annually. This position will collaborate closely with Food and Nutrition leadership, interdisciplinary partners, and a network of inpatient and outpatient preceptors to deliver high-quality experiential learning opportunities.

This position requires advanced clinical nutrition expertise, knowledge of competency-based education, strong leadership and organizational skills, and experience with ACEND accreditation standards. The Program Director also provides direct supervision of 2.0 FTE responsible for administrative and educational support of the internship program and serves as the primary liaison between the interns, preceptors, and institutional stakeholders.

Key Responsibilities:

• Direct the overall administration, strategic planning, and continuous improvement of the ACEND-accredited Dietetic Internship Program. Develop, implement, and evaluate program policies, procedures, curriculum, and competency-based educational experiences.

• Ensure ongoing compliance with all ACEND accreditation standards, institutional policies, and regulatory requirements.

• Lead accreditation activities including annual reporting, self-study preparation, site visits, and implementation of quality improvement initiatives.

• Conduct comprehensive annual program evaluations using intern, preceptor, graduate, and stakeholder feedback to identify opportunities for program enhancement.

• Lead recruitment, application review, interview, selection, and onboarding processes for incoming dietetic interns.

• Develop and coordinate marketing, outreach, and recruitment initiatives including open houses, informational sessions, and promotional activities.

• Create individualized clinical rotation schedules that meet ACEND competency requirements while maximizing educational experiences. Collaborate with clinical preceptors and interdisciplinary teams to develop and coordinate diverse learning experiences across inpatient, outpatient, community, foodservice, and specialty practice settings.

• Conduct regular intern evaluations, competency assessments, and trimester reviews, providing timely coaching, mentoring, and performance feedback. Ensure interns successfully complete required competencies, supervised practice hours, and educational requirements.

• Recruit, develop, educate, and support preceptors to ensure high-quality learning experiences and consistency in competency evaluation. Partner with preceptors to identify intern learning needs and implement strategies that enhance educational outcomes.

• Maintain and enhance the Canvas Learning Management System and other educational technologies supporting intern learning and program administration.

• Foster a culture of continuous learning, collaboration, professionalism, and evidence-based practice.

• Master's degree or higher in Nutrition, Dietetics, Public Health, Education, or a closely related field, and five or more years of relevant experience, or equivalent combination of experience, education and training.

• Registered Dietitian Nutritionist (RDN) credential with the Commission on Dietetic Registration (CDR).

• Minimum five years of progressively responsible clinical nutrition experience.

• Certification in nutrition specialty area (example: CNSC, CDCES) or ability to obtain at next scheduled examination date, generally within six months.

• Demonstrated knowledge of medical nutrition therapy and evidence-based clinical practice.

• Excellent interpersonal, written, and verbal communication skills with the ability to collaborate effectively across multidisciplinary teams.

• Demonstrated ability to manage multiple priorities, analyze complex issues, implement solutions, and lead quality improvement initiatives.

• Knowledge of ACEND accreditation standards, competency-based education, and dietetic internship program requirements.

• Experience developing curriculum, competency-based educational programs, and preceptor development initiatives.

• Previous supervisory or management experience.

• Clinical training and practice experience in a large academic medical center or teaching hospital.

• Board certification or advanced specialty certification in nutrition practice.

• Must be able to work various hours and locations based on business needs.

• Employment is subject to a criminal background check and pre-employment physical.