Note: Provided below is a job class description and minimum qualification. To view this information for other State of Colorado positions, please visit the job classifications and minimum qualifications page.
Class Description
Valid as of: July 1, 2024
This class series uses three levels in the Health Care Services Occupational Group and describes professional work in the field of dietetics. Positions in this class series apply the principles, theories, and practices of dietetics, which encompasses the fields of food science and nutrition. Dietitians provide nutritional services to patients, inmates, and students in state facilities' nutrition service operations. Duties include filling physician-ordered diet prescriptions or chart orders, assessing client nutritional needs; developing and implementing dietary or nutrition care plans; implementing and maintaining quality assurance and infection control standards; advising management on the development of nutrition service programs, policies, procedures, and nutritional standards for a nutrition services unit; purchasing and distributing both food and food service supplies; providing drug and nutrition information to others; serving on agency committees and interdisciplinary health care teams; and maintaining records and preparing reports. Positions may supervise food service personnel in the procurement, storage, production, and distribution of foodstuffs and in maintaining sanitation standards. Some dietitians work in security settings where the positions follow policies and procedures to ensure the safety of themselves and others.
DIETITIAN I C8B1IX
Concept of Class
This class describes the entry level. Work is designed to train positions for a higher level in the class series. Although tasks are similar to those of the fully operational level, assignments are structured and performed with direction and assistance from others. Positions carry out established work processes and operations by learning to apply and follow procedures, techniques, rules, and regulations. Once training has been completed, the position is to be moved to the next level. Positions should not remain in this class indefinitely.
Factors
Allocation must be based on meeting all of the three factors as described below.
Decision Making
The decisions regularly made are at the operational level, as described here. Within limits set by the specific process, choices involve deciding what operation is required to carry out the process. This includes determining how the operation will be completed. By nature, data needed to make decisions are numerous and variable so reasoning is needed to develop the practical course of action within the established process. Choices are within a range of specified, acceptable standards, alternatives, and technical practices.
Complexity
The nature of, and need for, analysis and judgment is patterned, as described here. Positions study information to determine what it means and how it fits together in order to get practical solutions to problems. Guidelines in the form of standard operating procedures, methods, and techniques exist for most situations. Judgment is needed in locating and selecting the most appropriate of these guidelines, which may change for varying circumstances as the task is repeated. This selection and interpretation of guidelines involves choosing from alternatives where all are correct but one is better than another depending on the given circumstances of the situation.
Line/Staff Authority
The direct field of influence the work of a position has on the organization is as an individual contributor. The individual contributor may explain work processes and train others. The individual contributor may serve as a resource or guide by advising others on how to use processes within a system or as a member of a collaborative problem-solving team. This level may include positions performing supervisory elements that do not fully meet the criteria for the next level in this factor.
DIETITIAN II C8B2TX
Concept of Class
This class describes the fully operational dietitian. Positions operate independently in performing the full range of professional tasks. Work requires the use of discretion and creativity within limits of theory and principles of the profession, management’s program objectives, law and regulations, and, general systems and guidelines. Judgment is used in the adaptation and skilled application of guidelines to solve the full range of problems related to the assignment. An employee in this class must anticipate and analyze the impact and consequences of decisions made. Positions may serve as a resource to others or a specialist in the professional field. Dietitian II differs from Dietitian I on the Decision Making factor.
Factors
Allocation must be based on meeting all of the three factors as described below.
Decision Making
The decisions regularly made are at the process level, as described here. Within limits set by professional standards, the agency's available technology and resources, and program objectives and regulations established by a higher management level, choices involve determining the process, including designing the set of operations. The general pattern, program, or system exists but must be individualized. This individualization requires analysis of data that is complicated. Analysis is breaking the problem or case into parts, examining these parts, and reaching conclusions that result in processes. This examination requires the application of known and established theory, principles, conceptual models, professional standards, and precedents in order to determine their relationship to the problem. New processes or objectives require approval of higher management or the agency with authority and accountability for the program or system.
Complexity
The nature of, and need for, analysis and judgment is patterned, as described here. Positions study information to determine what it means and how it fits together in order to get practical solutions to problems. Guidelines in the form of standard operating procedures, methods, and techniques exist for most situations. Judgment is needed in locating and selecting the most appropriate of these guidelines that may change for varying circumstances as the task is repeated. This selection and interpretation of guidelines involves choosing from alternatives where all are correct but one is better than another depending on the given circumstances of the situation.
Line/Staff Authority
The direct field of influence the work of a position has on the organization is as an individual contributor. The individual contributor may explain work processes and train others. The individual contributor may serve as a resource or guide by advising others on how to use processes within a system or as a member of a collaborative problem-solving team. This level may include positions performing supervisory elements that do not fully meet the criteria for the next level in this factor.
DIETITIAN III C8B3XX
Concept of Class
This class describes the work leader or staff authority. The work leader is partially responsible for the work product of two or more full-time equivalent positions. Staff authorities possess a unique level of knowledge and expertise in a professional field that is needed by the agency to support its overall mission. Agency management routinely relies on the essential consultation of the authority before deciding broad, critical program and policy direction. The consultation provided is accepted as fact and not refuted on its technical merit, even if management does not act on it for political or budgetary reasons. Staff authorities are authorized to take action and issue expert opinions that provide direction for further action by others. Authorities design strategy, systems, processes, guidelines, rules, and standards that are mission critical and directly impact the agency’s ongoing operation and broad program or policy. Staff authority is delegated by agency management, beyond the immediate supervisor, and has direct influence and impact agency-wide, including clients. Dietitian III differs from the Dietitian II on the Line/Staff Authority factor.
Factors
Allocation must be based on meeting all of the three factors as described below.
Decision Making
The decisions regularly made are at the process level, as described here. Within limits set by professional standards, the agency's available technology and resources, and program objectives and regulations established by a higher management level, choices involve determining the process, including designing the set of operations. The general pattern, program, or system exists but must be individualized. This individualization requires analysis of data that is complicated. Analysis is breaking the problem or case into parts, examining these parts, and reaching conclusions that result in processes. This examination requires the application of known and established theory, principles, conceptual models, professional standards, and precedents in order to determine their relationship to the problem. New processes or objectives require approval of higher management or the agency with authority and accountability for the program or system.
Complexity
The nature of, and need for, analysis and judgment is patterned, as described here. Positions study information to determine what it means and how it fits together in order to get practical solutions to problems. Guidelines in the form of standard operating procedures, methods, and techniques exist for most situations. Judgment is needed in locating and selecting the most appropriate of these guidelines that may change for varying circumstances as the task is repeated. This selection and interpretation of guidelines involves choosing from alternatives where all are correct but one is better than another depending on the given circumstances of the situation.
Line/Staff Authority
The direct field of influence the work of a position has on the organization is as a work leader or staff authority. The work leader is partially accountable for the work product of two or more full-time equivalent positions, including timeliness, correctness, and soundness. At least one of the subordinate positions must be in the same series or at a comparable conceptual level. Typical elements of direct control over other positions by a work leader include assigning tasks, monitoring progress and workflow, checking the product, scheduling work, and establishing work standards. The work leader provides input into supervisory decisions made at higher levels, including signing leave requests and approving work hours. This level may include positions performing supervisory elements that do not fully meet the criteria for the next level in this factor.
OR
The staff authority is a pacesetter who has a unique level of technical expertise in a field or profession that, as part of the ongoing permanent assignment, is critical to the success of an agency. It is an essential component of the work assignment that has been delegated by management to the position. This authority directly influences management decisions within an agency. For example, management relies on such a position when making decisions regarding the direction that policy or a program should take in the staff authority's field of expertise. Managers and peers recognize and seek this level of technical guidance and direction regarding the application of a program or system within the agency or to its clients.
Entrance Requirements
Minimum entry requirements and general competencies for classes in this series are contained in the State of Colorado Department of Personnel web site.
For purposes of the Americans with Disabilities Act, the essential functions of specific positions are identified in the position description questionnaires and job analysis.
History of Changes Made to Class Description
The following is a summary of changes made to this class description.
- June 30, 2015
Updated and removed the purpose of contact 6.30.2015
- July 1, 2003
Effective 7/1/03 (JEM). Abolished vacant Dietitian IV (C8B4). Published proposed 2/20/03.
- July 1, 2001
Effective 7/1/01 (LLB). HCS Consolidation Study revised class description for Dietitian series and changed pay grades for Dietitian I, II and III. Draft published 2/21/01, proposed 5/10/01, and final 7/1/01.
- Sept. 1, 1993
Effective 9/1/93 (KAS). Job Evaluation System Revision project. Converted Registered Dietitian A (A5801) to Dietitian I (C2B1), converted Dietitian B (A5802) to Dietitian II (C2B2), and converted Supervising Therapeutic Dietitian (A5803) to Dietitian IV (C2B4). Created Dietitian III (C2B3). Published as proposed 5/17/93.
- July 1, 1987
Created 7/1/87. Supervising Therapeutic Dietitian (A5803).
- Jan. 1, 1975
Created 1/1/75. Registered Dietitian A and B (A5801-2).
Summary of Factor Ratings
| Class Level | Decision Making | Complexity | Line/Staff Authority |
|---|---|---|---|
| Dietitian I | Operational | Patterned | Individual Contributor |
| Dietitian II | Process | Patterned | Individual Contributor |
| Dietitian III | Process | Patterned | Work Leader or Staff Authority |
Minimum Qualifications
Valid as of: July 1, 2024
This document includes the following levels:
| Class Title | Class Code |
|---|---|
| Dietitian I | C8B1IX |
| Dietitian II | C8B2TX |
| Dietitian III | C8B3XX |
DIETITIAN I (C8B1IX)
Experience Only:
- Four (4) years of relevant experience in an occupation related to the work assigned to this position
OR
Education and Experience:
- A combination of related education and/or relevant experience in an occupation related to the work assigned to this position equal to four (4) years
DIETITIAN II (C8B2TX)
Experience Only:
- Five (5) years of relevant experience in an occupation related to the work assigned to this position
OR
Education and Experience:
- A combination of related education and/or relevant experience in an occupation related to the work assigned to this position equal to five (5) years
DIETITIAN III (C8B3XX)
Experience Only:
- Six (6) years of relevant experience in an occupation related to the work assigned to this position
OR
Education and Experience:
- A combination of related education and/or relevant experience in an occupation related to the work assigned to this position equal to six (6) years
History of Changes Made to Minimum Qualification
The following is a summary of changes made to this minimum qualification.
- Mar. 1, 2017 (Whole Document)
- Part of the 2017 MQ Project
- New format
- Apr. 4, 2017 (Whole Document)
- Standardized language and made the substitution statements consistent with a year-for-year methodology
- Apr. 4, 2017 (C8B2TX, C8B3XX)
- Removed Special Requirements
- Made language consistent with a year-year-year approach to substitutions for both education and experience
- Language referring to, “at the agency’s discretion,” was removed
- Oct. 17, 2017 (Whole Document)
- Made formatting changes
- Sept. 29, 2023 (Whole Document)
- New format (updating to adhere to accessibility standards)
- Updated minimum qualifications to align with the Skills-based Hiring initiative