CRC Research Nutrition Assistant

Department
 

BSD ITM - CRC - Nutrition

About the Department
 

The University of Chicago (UC) Institute for Translational Medicine (ITM) was created in 2007 to assemble, integrate, and create the intellectual, administrative, and physical resources required to catalyze research and research training in Clinical and Translational Science. Its ultimate goals are to train scientists and health care providers at UC and in our community to determine the molecular, genetic, pathophysiologic, and social determinants of disease and disease predisposition in individuals; to test interventions directed toward those mechanisms; and to achieve these goals in a way that is rigorous, efficient, ethical, respectful of, and responsive to our community’s needs and values. Over its nine years, the ITM has capitalized on the outstanding intellectual and physical resources throughout the University and at ITM affiliate Institutions, Argonne National Laboratory, NorthShore University HealthSystem, Illinois Institute of Technology, and Access Community Health Network, and on substantial institutional and CTSA financial investments, to build the infrastructure for a transformative, energized, and self-improving home for clinical and translational research, ensuring the continued progress of clinical and translational science at the University of Chicago, its affiliates, on the South Side of Chicago, and beyond.
Funded by a National Institutes of Health Center Grant, the Clinical Research Center (CRC) at the University of Chicago provides the facilities, support personnel, and other resources to the faculty of the University to conduct a wide variety of adult and pediatric clinical research protocols.

Job Summary
 

Under the direct supervision of the Research Nutrition Manager, the CRC Nutrition Research Assistant (NRA) implements the nutritional component of research protocols using the dedicated resources of the CRC clinical facilities and metabolic kitchen. Beginning from a solid background of training and experience as a Diet Technician, new hires will be trained in the specialized skills required in the CRC research setting.
The duties of the NRA encompass an unusually wide range of specialized clinical nutrition and foodservice functions and include several unique to the research environment. The primary responsibility is to accurately prepare and serve calculated and weighed research meals in accordance with precisely defined protocol requirements. Organizational and record-keeping duties, clinical and hospitality interactions with subjects, and food safety and sanitation-related activities in the metabolic kitchen are also important job components.

Responsibilities

Organizational, record-keeping and analytic duties:

• Using protocol summaries provided by the Research Nutrition Manager, develop working familiarity with the nutritional components of currently running protocols. Using computerized templates provided by the Research Nutrition Manager, calculate nutrient requirements of subjects per protocol guidelines. Translate calculated subject nutrient requirements into computer-generated food production sheets for use in the metabolic kitchen. Perform computerized analysis of actual patient nutrient intake from research diets or diet dairies using ESHA Food Processor software. Prepare, revise and print detailed weekly patient meal schedule based on protocol guidelines. Updates and maintain patient dietary records including nourishment preferences and menu modification as needed. Monitors tolerance/compliance to regular, therapeutic and metabolic diets. Accurately record daily metabolic kitchen activity, both in writing and in a computer spreadsheet. Prepare and maintain weekly and monthly worksheets for recording metabolic kitchen food safety, quality control, cleaning and sanitation activities. Order, receive, shelve and maintain inventory records of all food and non-edible foodservice supplies. Respond to telephone inquiries made to the Nutrition Services Office in a professional manner. Maintain privacy of all subject records and information.

Metabolic kitchen foodservice duties:

• Prepare research diets in accordance with approved production sheets. Serve research diets per protocol requirements, with appropriate explanation to the subject of any special techniques or expectations involved; remain with subject during meal, if necessary to ensure standards are met. Observe and record subject compliance with diet requirements.  Weigh back and record any uneaten food for subsequent analysis; replace as specified by protocol. Order regular breakfast, lunch and dinner trays for subjects not on weighed diets, as well as floor stock, from Hospital foodservice. Receive and refrigerate regular meals and floor stock received from Hospital foodservice. Communicate selections to patients on ad lib diets, and serve meals at times and in quantities required by protocol. Prepare and serve snacks from the selective CRC menus used for these meals. Maintain office workspace and metabolic kitchen foodservice equipment in clean and sanitary condition and good working order. Comply with CRC metabolic kitchen policies and procedures regulating dress, safety and sanitation.

Clinical duties:

• Collect and record medical, laboratory, dietary or other necessary information as directed by the Research Nutrition Manager; adhere to patient privacy guidelines. Assist the Research Nutrition Manager with clinical measures of energy expenditure and body composition such as bioelectrical impedance analysis, indirect calorimetry, skinfold measurements, circumference measurements, and hand-grip strength. Assist in educating study participants and staff about the nutritional component of research projects; assist in conduct of educational sessions for subjects required by protocol. Provide diet counseling for all patients on modified diets who require it. Maintain open and effective professional communication with other CRC staff members.

Other Duties:

• This job provides technical and administrative support in a laboratory environment performing basic laboratory techniques, research and analysis under direction.

• Provides routine or standardized laboratory duties by collecting data in support of research projects under direct supervision.

• Collects and enters data. Assists in analysis of data and with preparation of reports, manuscripts and other documents.

• Complies with institution, state and federal regulatory policies, procedures, directives, and mandates.

• Performs other related work as needed.

Minimum Qualifications
 

Education:

Minimum requirements include vocational training, apprenticeships or the equivalent experience in related field (not typically required to have a four-year degree).

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Work Experience:

Minimum requirements include knowledge and skills developed through < 2 years of work experience in a related job discipline.

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Certifications:

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Preferred Qualifications

Education:

• Associate's degree from a two-year Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics (AND) approved program strongly preferred.

Experience:

• A minimum one year's experience as a Diet Technician or a Nutrition Research Assistant is strongly preferred.

Licenses and Certifications:

• Diet Technician, Registered (D.T.R.) certification or equivalent is strongly preferred.

​Preferred Competencies

• Must demonstrate competency with basic arithmetic skills, including percentage and decimal calculations. These skills are necessary to carry out essential weighing, measuring and other calculations.

• Experience with PC-based spreadsheets and word processing is highly desirable.

• Must be comfortable with the basic techniques of quality food preparation and foodservice safety and sanitation principles.

• Requires mature, pleasant and professional demeanor.

• Reliability, independence, flexibility, attentiveness to detail, and the ability to work independently are essential.

• Excellent, professional verbal and written communications skills. Must be able to read appropriate technical materials with understanding and communicate effectively with subjects.

Working Conditions

• Job requires moderate physical exertion, including some lifting. Prolonged standing or walking is often required.

• Attire must be clean, neat and professional in appearance. No uniform is required, but a white laboratory jacket or coat is worn over street clothing. Foodservice activities will require appropriate attire as required by regulations, including proper footwear and the use of protective items such as gloves and hairnets.

Application Documents

• Resume (required)

• Cover Letter (preferred)

When applying, the document(s) MUST  be uploaded via the My Experience page, in the section titled Application Documents of the application.

Job Family
 

Research

Role Impact
 

Individual Contributor

FLSA Status
 

Non-Exempt

Pay Frequency
 

Biweekly

Scheduled Weekly Hours
 

40

Benefits Eligible
 

Yes

Drug Test Required
 

Yes

Health Screen Required
 

Yes

Motor Vehicle Record Inquiry Required
 

No

Posting Statement
 

Employees must comply with the University’s COVID-19 vaccination requirements. More information about the requirements can be found on the University of Chicago Vaccination GoForward .
The University of Chicago is an Affirmative Action/ Equal Opportunity/Disabled/Veterans Employer and does not discriminate on the basis of race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, national or ethnic origin, age, status as an individual with a disability, protected veteran status, genetic information, or other protected classes under the law. For additional information please see the University's Notice of Nondiscrimination.

 

Staff Job seekers in need of a reasonable accommodation to complete the application process should call 773-702-5800 or submit a request via Applicant Inquiry Form.

 

We seek a diverse pool of applicants who wish to join an academic community that places the highest value on rigorous inquiry and encourages a diversity of perspectives, experiences, groups of individuals, and ideas to inform and stimulate intellectual challenge, engagement, and exchange.

 

All offers of employment are contingent upon a background check that includes a review of conviction history.  A conviction does not automatically preclude University employment.  Rather, the University considers conviction information on a case-by-case basis and assesses the nature of the offense, the circumstances surrounding it, the proximity in time of the conviction, and its relevance to the position.

 

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