Clinical/HC Research Assistant - Registered Dietitian

Posting ID 160765
Department Internal Medicine/Carver College of Medicine
Jobcode Clinical/HC Research Assistant
Working Title Clinical/HC Research Assistant - Registered Dietitian
Details

BASIC FUNCTION

Provide nutrition counseling services and health coaching utilizing motivational interviewing strategies to support individuals randomized to the intervention and control arms of clinical trials conducted by the Wahls Lab. Nutrition counseling will support Modified Paleolithic Elimination, Modified Paleolithic, Mediterranean, Swank, Ketogenic, Dietary Guideline Diets or other diets which are being investigated by the Wahls lab. Key areas of responsibility include research/clinical activities, protocol development and study responsibilities, subject recruitment and enrollment, data collection and monitoring, regulatory guidelines and documents, human resources/leadership and financial responsibility.

KEY AREAS OF RESPONSIBILITY

Research/Clinical Activities:

• Perform clinical/health care research activities.
• Provide nutrition counseling services utilizing motivational interviewing strategies to support individuals randomized to the Ketogenic Diet, Wahls Elimination Diet, Swank Diet in making dietary changes.
• Creation of study materials for studies as needed.
• Complete 24-hour dietary recalls on study participants.
• Facilitate completion of DHQIII surveys, other dietary screeners or diet assessment instruments by study participants.
• Monitor participant adherence to study diet and study interventions.
• Provide counseling to study participants to maintain engagement and retention in the study.
• Provide group counseling to study participants via Zoom platforms.
• Develop CANVAS platform for participant education and support for study diets.
• Prepare and participate in monitoring visits; may perform activities such as patient assessments and review of medical history.
• Assure compliance with study protocol.
• Obtain and process clinical trial specimens.

Protocol Development and Study Responsibilities:

• Assist in protocol development and provide input into descriptions of routine research procedures.
• Develop or revise study materials to support adoption of study diets.
• Perform randomizations.
• Arrange and plan daily activities to prepare for experimental protocols. Prepare for nutrition counseling sessions and follow-up after sessions.
• Schedule telephone counseling visits with study participants.
• Assure study visit compliance within window of visit schedule.
• Attend study staff meetings.
• Participate in case management with study staff.
• Attend monthly counselor training sessions.
• Assist with Clinical Research Facility (CRF) development.
• Document communication with study participants.
• Resolve queries.

Subject Recruitment and Enrollment:

• Screen, recruit, and obtain informed consents for clinical trials/studies.
• Assist with recruitment procedures.
• Assist principal investigator to determine subject eligibility.
• Schedule trial related procedures and visits.
• Assist with subject assessments during study participation.

Data Collection and Monitoring:

• Collect and enter clinical research data required by the sponsors in a timely manner.
• Record chart notes from in-person and telephone nutrition counseling sessions in REDCap web-based database immediately after each counseling session.
• Maintain log of all communication with study participants.
• Assist with securing and storing all communication, data collection forms in participant folders.
• Review diet checklists completed by study participants for legibility and compliance with the dietary protocol. Provide feedback to study participants.
• Assist with determining validity of data obtained.

Regulatory Guidelines and Documents:

• Collect and maintain regulatory documents from subjects and assist in preparation of required regulatory forms and documentation according to protocol.
• Report any reportable events to appropriate party.

Human Resources/Leadership:

• Adhere to institutional policies and guidelines.
• May provide functional and/or administrative supervision.
• Provide direction, assignments, feedback, coaching and counseling to assure outcomes are achieved.

Financial Responsibility:

• Assist in budget development and management of resources/supplies for study.
• Contribute to identification of increased cost/inefficient spending and cost containment measures.
• Document distribution of books given to study participants and postage for return envelopes.

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QUALIFICATIONS

• A Bachelor's degree in Food and Nutrition or Dietetics or an equivalent combination of education and experience.
• 6 months – 1 year of related experience.
• A Current, valid Iowa Registered Dietitian license is required.
• Excellent written and verbal communication skills are required.
• Registration by the Commission on Dietetic Registration or eligibility for registration is required.
• Available for telephone nutrition counseling during daytime, weekend and evening hours as scheduled with individual study participants is required.
• Experience with motivational interviewing is required.
• Experience with one-on-one nutrition counseling is required.
• Experience with telephone nutrition counseling is desirable.
• Experience with clinical trials is desirable.

Contact ASHLEY NELSON
Email: ashley-rayer@uiowa.edu
Application Instructions Email resume to ashley-rayer@uiowa.edu.
Ad Start Date 07/14/2026
Ad End Date 01/14/2027