Reports to: Team Performance Dietitian
Status: Full-Time, Exempt
Overview
Under the direction of the Team Performance Dietitian, the Assistant Performance Dietitian is primarily responsible for the development and coordination of nutrition services for the Pittsburgh Penguins American Hockey League (AHL) team, the Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins, as well as official prospects.
The Assistant Performance Dietitian provides individual assessments and nutrition coaching, team education, planning and execution of fueling strategies, documentation and reporting of athlete progress, and supplement provision. This position will play an important role in athlete development, with a large emphasis on education. This role will include occasional travel to visit prospects and administer nutrition evaluations, cooking education, and related programming.
This role requires a high level of organization and communication to facilitate collaboration with team operations, performance staff, and the culinary team. The Assistant Performance Dietitian is responsible for promoting the philosophy and objectives of the Pittsburgh Penguins Nutrition Department.
Key Responsibilities
Culinary Services
- Coordinate and manage home facility food service operations, including menu development.
- Assist as needed with travel nutrition, including hotels, game, practice, and airline catering.
- Develop and lead cooking education classes.
Nutrition Counseling
- Assess and monitor player dietary habits, hydration practices, body composition, and blood biomarkers throughout the season.
- Counsel athletes for optimal nutrition for training, competition, recovery, and body composition management.
- Develop and implement individualized nutrition and supplementation protocols to support performance and return-to-play.
- Provide medical nutrition therapy (MNT) as needed to help manage or treat medical conditions.
- Address nutritional challenges such as food allergies, deficiencies, and gastrointestinal (GI) concerns.
- Document nutrition interventions and evaluate the effectiveness of nutrition strategies toward desired outcomes using the Nutrition Care Process.
Nutrition Programming
- Conduct body composition and hydration testing as needed.
- Support the Penguins' fueling philosophy with education and resources for players at all stages throughout the athlete development pathway.
- Develop athletes' nutritional life skills related to meal planning, budgeting, shopping, and food preparation.
- Assist with supplement provision.
- Develop educational materials, including social media graphics, educational handouts, and other nutrition resources.
Qualifications
Minimum Qualifications
- Registered Dietitian (RDN) credential obtained by passing the Commission on Dietetic Registration (CDR) exam and ability to obtain state licensure within three months of the date of hire.
- Bachelor's or Master's degree in Dietetics, Nutrition, or a related field.
- One to two years of experience with demonstrated results providing performance nutrition support to collegiate, professional, or elite-level athletes.
Preferred Skills
- Board Certified Specialist in Sports Dietetics (CSSD).
- International Society for Kinanthropometry (ISAK) Level 1 certification.
- Experience providing culinary education, including athlete cooking classes.
We are an equal opportunity employer and all qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, national origin, sex, sexual orientation, age, disability, gender identity, marital or veteran status, or any other protected class.