Nutrition Career Information

Nutritional Science provides students with a wide range of career opportunities such as:

- Public Health Nutrition
  - Women, Infants & Children (WIC)
  - Public Health Department with state and county agencies
  - Cooperative Extension
  - Congregate Meals program
- International Food Organizations
  - Peace Corps
  - Non-governmental organizations such as CARE, Food for the Hungry, or World Relief
  - United Nations Food and Agriculture Organization
  - US AID (Agency for International Development)
  - Multi-national corporation
  - Consulting and research collaboration
- Consultant/Private Practice
  - Private practice consultation to hospitals and long-term care facilities on hourly or "job" basis
  - Client counseling for weight management, eating disorders, sports nutrition, diabetes management, etc. from either physician referrals and/or advertisements
  - Write cookbooks, educational programs, or articles for local newspapers or specialty magazines
  - Food photography
  - Consult at health clubs / spas as a personal trainer-nutritionist
- Clinical Dietetics
  - Hospitals, long-term care, and outpatient settings
  - Many specialties (pediatric, renal, diabetes, nutrition support, etc.). RDN generally required
- Food and Nutrition Management
  - Hospitals, long-term care, businesses, schools
  - Work with chefs or at spas
  - Consult regarding healthy choices on menu
- Business and Industry
  Careers in business and industry include jobs such as sales, marketing, public relations, research and development (labeling, recipes, and product information) and production quality control.
  - Food (eg. Cambell Soup, Kraft Foods, Proctor & Gamble)
  - Information Technology (eg. CBORD, Compu-Cal, Computrition, ESHA Research, First DataBank)
  - Nutritionals (eg. Mead Johnson, McNeil Consumer Healthcare, Novartis Nutrition, Ross Products)
  - Nutraceuticals (eg. Archer Daniels Midland, Cooke Pharma, GeniSoy Products)
  - Pharmaceutical (eg. Eli Lily, GlaxoSmithKline, Merck, Pfizer)
  - Food Service Equipment (eg. Diversey Lever, Ecolab, Hamilton Beach Commercial, Hobart)
  - Food Service Contract Management (eg. Aramark Healthcare, Morrison Management, Sodexho)
  - Food Service Vendors (eg. Precision Foods, Super Bakery, Sysco, US Foodservice)
  - Medical Equipment (eg. Bodystat, HealtheTech, Johnson & Johnson)
  - Trade Associations (eg. Cranberry Institute, Dairy Council, Peanut Institute, Pork Producers)
- Media
  - Commodity groups (trade associations) hire public relations firms
  - Radio, TV, newspapers, and magazines are a major source of nutrition education for the public
  - Cooperative extension agents often write for the local media
- Public Policy/Government
  - Staff resource to legislator
  - Government agency--USDA, FDA, NIH, etc.
  - Health care reform
  - Supplement labels
  - Regulatory
  - Lobbyist in state or federal government
- Educations and Research
  - College, university, health professional school, and culinary school
  - Teach K-12 (requires further course work)
  - Create and write curriculum for state board of education, Dairy Council, Cooperative Extension
  - Worksite wellness--teach nutrition, exercise, fitness and other health promotion to employees
  - Manage or assist with clinical protocols, interventions, or clinical trials
- Related Health Professionals (e.g. M.D., PA, etc.)
  - Chiropractor (DC)
  - Dentist (DDS)
  - Naturopathic Doctor (ND)
  - Physical Therapist (PT)
  - Physician (MD or DO)
  - Physician Assistant (PA)
  - Podiatrist (DP)
  - Veterinarian (DVM)

For more information refer to the list below or seek the counsel of an advisor.