Stanford Health Care logo
Stanford Health Care
Palo Alto, California

Clinical Dietitian - Outpatient Float (Fixed Term - 6 Months)

DietitianContract

Listed compensation

$43.77-$56.9/hr

The week · per this posting · weekdays assumed

Ask the employer about call expectations, weekend coverage, nights and shift pattern and time off.

Posted 1mo ago

Job Description

If you're ready to be part of our legacy of hope and innovation, we encourage you to take the first step and explore our current job openings. Your best is waiting to be discovered.

Day - 08 Hour (United States of America)

Why work for Stanford Medicine | Stanford Health Care (SHC)?

Join one of the Top 10 Hospitals in the Nation! Stanford Health Care is part of the adult health care delivery system of Stanford Medicine.

Combining clinical care, research, and education to advance the understanding and practice of medicine, we provide compassionate, coordinated care personalized for the unique needs of every patient. We are proud to provide patients with the very best in diagnosis and treatment.

And we are pioneering leading-edge therapies that will change the way health care is delivered tomorrow.

  • This is a non-represented (non-union) role.
  • This is an onsite role.
  • This is a Stanford Health Care job.

A Brief Overview

The Clinical Dietitian I works closely with the multidisciplinary healthcare team to provide patient care that is integrated and compatible with the patient-focused medical goals and objectives.

Primary responsibilities: application of the Nutrition Care Process (NCP) including completion of the nutrition assessment, determination of the nutrition diagnosis, development and implementation of nutrition intervention(s), and monitoring and evaluation of the patient's progress.

The Clinical Dietitian I uses the Scope of Dietetics Practice Framework (SODPF) to determine scope of practice, established Standards of Practice and Professional Performance (SOP/SOPP) in nutrition care and practice-specific dietetics, and, as available, evidence-based practice protocols/nutrition practice guidelines to help determine nutrition intervention(s).

Clinical Dietitians I are most often dietitians early in their career or those who have recently completed their internships/pre-professional experiences. The Clinical Dietitian I consults with a higher-level employee for guidance/handling of complex patients or issues when appropriate. The Clinical Dietitian I is eligible to participate in the voluntary Clinical Nutrition Department's professional development program.

Locations

Stanford Health Care

What You Will Do

Performs comprehensive nutrition assessments through the collection and analysis of evidenced-based parameters (anthropometric, medical/clinical, biochemical, diet history, and physical examination data) for patients identified at nutritional risk. Identifies nutrition problems and determines etiology of the nutrition problem.

Develops patient care plans including nutrition interventions and goals that consider varied needs of age and population specific groups as well as cultural, religious, and ethnic concerns. Develops nutrition interventions and goals focused on the etiology of the nutrition problem. Defines the time and frequency of care including intensity, duration, and follow-up.

Monitors, evaluates and documents patient nutrition-related outcomes through selection of indicators relevant to the nutrition diagnosis or signs or symptoms, nutrition goals, medical diagnosis, and outcomes and quality management goals and use of standardized indicators.

Assesses educational needs and provides nutrition counseling based on individual needs, including nutrient requirements, knowledge and abilities, and medical, economic, and social situation.

Communicates and influences nutrition interventions determined by the medical team through participation in interdisciplinary meetings and rounds.

As needed, delegates or coordinates nutrition plan of care with other healthcare professionals, including coordinating care with other dietitian(s) across the continuity of care spectrum.

Serves as a nutrition resource and expert to others, including students, medical staff, health professionals, and/or general public.

Works cooperatively with food service staff to ensure conformation to nutrition prescriptions.

Serves as preceptor for dietetic students and interns. Facilitates student and intern learning experience by providing instruction and feedback.

Maintains productivity standards and practices effective time management and prioritizing of tasks. Maintains accurate record-keeping of daily clinical activities, including information for scheduling and billing. Manages resources (time, materials, and staff) in a cost-effective manner.

Practices charge capture procedures in a timely manner according to established protocols and regulations. Submits all required documentation, reports, and logs in a timely fashion, and in a professional and complete manner per department standards.

  • Maintains dietetic registration and continuing education requirements.
  • Performs other similar or related duties as requested or directed.

Education Qualifications

Bachelor's degree in dietetics, nutrition, or nutrition-related field from an accredited college or university. Required

Completion of a didactic program in dietetics and supervised practice program approved by the Accreditation Council for Education and Dietetics (formerly known as the Commission on Accreditation for Dietetics Education). Required

Experience Qualifications

One (1) year of work experience as a clinical dietitian or completion of a dietetic internship. Required

  • Required Knowledge, Skills and Abilities
  • Knowledge of the Nutrition Care Process and ability to apply all steps of the process.
  • Comprehensive knowledge and application of nutrition services and medical nutrition therapy.
  • General knowledge of electronic medical record, nutrient analysis, word processing, and spreadsheet software.
  • Ability to communicate effectively in written, verbal, and electronic form to patients, public, hospital/clinic and medical staff, and physicians.
  • Ability to function independently on assigned patient care units and/or outpatient clinics.
  • Ability to counsel and educate others.
  • Critical thinking to integrate facts, informed opinions, active listening, and observations.
  • Decision making, problem solving, and collaboration.

Licenses and Certifications

RD - Registered Dietitian/RDN - Registered Dietitian Nutritionist required

Physical Demands and Work Conditions

Physical Demands

Seldom Other (please list each item under Comments). Work is primarily sedentary in nature and performed in a normal business office environment. No special physical demands are required.

Blood Borne Pathogens

Category II - Tasks that involve NO exposure to blood, body fluids or tissues, but employment may require performing unplanned Category I tasks

These Principles Apply to ALL Employees

SHC Commitment to Providing an Exceptional Patient & Family Experience

Stanford Health Care sets a high standard for delivering value and an exceptional experience for our patients and families. Candidates for employment and existing employees must adopt and execute C-I-CARE standards for all of patients, families and towards each other.

C-I-CARE is the foundation of Stanford’s patient-experience and represents a framework for patient-centered interactions. Simply put, we do what it takes to enable and empower patients and families to focus on health, healing and recovery.

  • You will do this by executing against our three experience pillars, from the patient and family’s perspective:
  • Know Me: Anticipate my needs and status to deliver effective care
  • Show Me the Way: Guide and prompt my actions to arrive at better outcomes and better health
  • Coordinate for Me: Own the complexity of my care through coordination

Equal Opportunity Employer Stanford Health Care (SHC) strongly values diversity and is committed to equal opportunity and non-discrimination in all of its policies and practices, including the area of employment.

Accordingly, SHC does not discriminate against any person on the basis of race, color, sex, sexual orientation or gender identity and/or expression, religion, age, national or ethnic origin, political beliefs, marital status, medical condition, genetic information, veteran status, or disability, or the perception of any of the above.

People of all genders, members of all racial and ethnic groups, people with disabilities, and veterans are encouraged to apply. Qualified applicants with criminal convictions will be considered after an individualized assessment of the conviction and the job requirements.

Base Pay Scale: Generally starting at $43.77 - $56.90 per hour

The salary of the finalist selected for this role will be set based on a variety of factors, including but not limited to, internal equity, experience, education, specialty and training. This pay scale is not a promise of a particular wage.

Key Responsibilities

The Clinical Dietitian provides comprehensive nutrition assessments and develops patient-focused nutrition care plans as part of a multidisciplinary team. They also provide nutrition counseling, facilitate student learning, and maintain accurate clinical documentation and billing records.

Requirements

Candidates must hold a Bachelor's degree in dietetics or nutrition and be a Registered Dietitian (RD/RDN). One year of clinical experience or completion of a dietetic internship is required.

Qualifications

Education
Bachelor degree

Key Skills

Patient CounselingInterdisciplinary CollaborationPatient EducationDietetic Precepting

Dietitian Career Context

Of the 50 active Clinical Nutrition listings this role was benchmarked against, 10% are remote, 28% have no call, 84% require no weekends.

In California, the Clinical Nutrition weighted monthly median benchmark on WeekdayDoc is ~$95k (240 salary observations; 648 listings), vs ~$78k nationally (1,680 salary observations; 8,126 listings). Monthly aggregates cover 2026-01-01 through 2026-10-01; these are not the modal's selected comparable-job medians.

The cost-of-living index for California is 110.7 (US average = 100; BEA Regional Price Parities (2024)), so the posted ~$105k midpoint carries the purchasing power of roughly $95k in an average-cost state. 63.6% of California clinicians report burnout symptoms in WeekdayDoc's Burnout Index (2026-01 data).

Stanford Health Care holds silver-tier status on WeekdayDoc's Top Employers work-life index, composite score 72/100, 58 active listings.

Top contract/1099 Dietitian Jobs

21 matches · ranked by pay

Salary Distribution21 jobs · 13 employers

11
<$95k
3
$95k-110k
5
$110k-125k
2
$125k-140k

Annual compensation range

Benefits & Perks21 jobs · 13 employers

401k / retirement match
86% this job
CME allowance
43% this job
Relocation assistance
14%
PSLF eligible
10%
Sign-on bonus
5%

Share of similar jobs offering each benefit

#1

Registered Dietitian-PACE

Neighborhood Healthcare · Riverside, California

$88k-$128k
#2

Regional Registered Dietitian

Medical Nutrition Therapy Associates · Baltimore, Maryland

$100k-$125k
#3

Dietitian

$83k-$122k
#4

Regional Dietitian Wellbeing Director- Allergen Management

$110k-$120k
+ 19 more · ranked by pay

Work-life snapshot

median 6.0this job 3.0
Better work-life than 20% of Clinical Nutrition (Dietitian) listings

Listing-based score, 0–10, across 3,221 comparable listings. Shaded area = the share scoring below this one.

  • On-site

Living in Palo Alto

Typical 3-bedroom home value
$3.26M
Typical market rent
$4,678/mo
Residents’ average commute
21 min
Metro price indexU.S. average = 100
110.4
State income tax
Up to 13.3%
Sources & methodology

Sources: Zillow home values (Aug 2026), Zillow market rents (Aug 2026), U.S. Census ACS 2024 five-year.

BEA 2024 · San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA metro prices. Housing figures are city-level.

City-level figures. Not a cost-of-living guarantee.