Clinical Dietitian

The Clinical Dietitian role within the Clinical Nutrition–Inpatient department supports the delivery of high-quality, evidence-based nutrition care for patients in the acute care setting. The Clinical Dietitian works closely with interdisciplinary care teams to assess nutritional needs, develop individualized care plans, and support optimal clinical outcomes for medically complex patient populations. The Clinical Dietitian plays a critical role in patient education, documentation, and continuity of care across inpatient and, as needed, outpatient services.

MD Anderson Cancer Center is a leading institution focused on cancer care, research, education, and prevention. The Clinical Dietitian contributes directly to MD Anderson Cancer Center’s mission by integrating clinical expertise, research-informed practice, and compassionate care into daily patient interactions, supporting both treatment effectiveness and quality of life.

The ideal candidate for the Clinical Dietitian role holds a Bachelor’s degree, has completed an Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics–approved dietetic internship, and meets all Registered Dietitian and Texas Licensed Dietitian requirements upon hire. This individual demonstrates strong clinical judgment, effective interdisciplinary collaboration skills, and a commitment to ongoing professional development in clinical nutrition practice.

This position offers an annual salary range of $67,000.00 (minimum), $83,500.00 (midpoint), and $100,000.00 (maximum), which equates to an hourly range of approximately $32.21 (minimum), $40.14 (midpoint), and $48.08 (maximum) based on a 40-hour work week. The work location is onsite. The typical work schedule is days.(8am - 4:30 pm includes rotating holidays and weekends)

Why Us?
This role provides an opportunity to make a meaningful impact on patient outcomes by delivering specialized nutrition care in a highly collaborative clinical environment. The Clinical Dietitian supports MD Anderson Cancer Center’s mission while benefiting from a workplace that values professional growth, clinical excellence, and work-life balance.
• Employer-paid medical coverage starting day one for employees working 30+ hours/week, plus optional group dental, vision, life, AD&D, and disability insurance.
• Accruals for PTO and Extended Illness Bank, plus paid holidays, wellness, childcare, and other leave options.
• Tuition Assistance Program after six months of service and access to extensive wellness, fitness, and employee resource groups.
• Defined-benefit pension through the Teachers Retirement System, voluntary retirement plans, and employer-paid life and reduced salary protection programs.

Responsibilities

Direct Patient Care
• Provide quality, evidence-based nutrition care aligned with patient diagnosis, treatment plan, age, nutrition status, and individualized needs in the acute care environment.
• Conduct comprehensive nutrition assessments for medically complex patients using subjective and objective data, nutrition-focused physical assessments, interdisciplinary consultation, and electronic medical record review.
• Determine individualized nutrient needs and develop comprehensive plans of care using department-established guidelines and clinical judgment.
• Participate in interdisciplinary patient care rounds by recommending, implementing, and monitoring nutrition interventions to support optimal outcomes.
• Complete timely and accurate documentation in the medical record in accordance with departmental standards, policies, and regulatory requirements.
• Deliver initial and follow-up nutrition care based on established timeframes and reassessment criteria.
• Identify patient and family education needs, assess barriers to learning, provide appropriate education using suitable modalities, and document education per policy.
• Provide coverage for additional services and cross-cover inpatient and outpatient services as needed.

Productivity Expectations
• Manage daily patient caseloads in alignment with productivity standards of fewer than 7 patients per day (below expectations), 7–7.5 patients per day (meets expectations), and more than 7.5 patients per day (exceeds expectations).
Clinical Practice and Professional Development
• Maintain a high level of clinical competency through ongoing professional development related to nutrition trends, research, policies, certifications, and standards of practice.
• Participate in formal and informal staff development and educational activities.
• Contribute to the development and revision of departmental and institutional resources, including diet manuals, practice guidelines, formularies, educational materials, and policies and procedures.

Leadership, Education, and Collaboration
• Share evidence-based approaches, advanced clinical nutrition practices, and case studies with peers and interdisciplinary team members.
• Serve as a mentor and preceptor for new employees, students, interns, and observers by providing supervised learning experiences.
• Lead or actively participate in workgroups and institutional committees, attend meetings regularly, complete assignments on time, and provide relevant clinical input to the team.