Occupation · SOC 29-2051
Dietetic Technicians
Assist in the provision of food service and nutritional programs, under the supervision of a dietitian. May plan and produce meals based on established guidelines, teach principles of food and nutrition, or counsel individuals.
Median wage
$37,040
$28,280–$53,440
Projected growth
—
—
Annual openings
—
per year
Employed (US)
29,950
Job Zone 3
Typical preparation
Medium preparation
Stackable credential programs
333 mapped
Core skills
SpeakingActive ListeningWritingSocial PerceptivenessService OrientationReading ComprehensionMonitoringLearning StrategiesJudgment and Decision MakingInstructingCritical ThinkingComplex Problem SolvingActive LearningTime ManagementCoordinationQuality Control AnalysisPersuasionNegotiationMathematicsSystems EvaluationSystems AnalysisOperations MonitoringManagement of Personnel ResourcesOperations AnalysisOperation and ControlManagement of Material ResourcesManagement of Financial ResourcesTroubleshootingScienceTechnology DesignProgrammingRepairingInstallationEquipment SelectionEquipment Maintenance
Knowledge areas
Customer and Personal ServiceEnglish LanguageEducation and TrainingMathematicsPublic Safety and SecurityAdministration and ManagementFood ProductionAdministrativeComputers and ElectronicsProduction and ProcessingPersonnel and Human ResourcesLaw and GovernmentCommunications and MediaPsychologyTherapy and CounselingMedicine and DentistryEconomics and AccountingTelecommunicationsSales and MarketingChemistrySociology and AnthropologyMechanicalBiologyPhilosophy and TheologyTransportationDesignForeign LanguageBuilding and ConstructionEngineering and TechnologyGeographyHistory and ArcheologyFine ArtsPhysics
Technology & tools
Appointment scheduling softwareAxxya Systems Nutritionist ProCBORD Nutrition Service SuiteComputrition Nutrition Care Management NCM SelectCyberSoft NutriBaseCybersoft Primero Software SuiteDesktop publishing softwareDietMaster Systems Clinical NutritionESHA Research The Food ProcessorFood Service Solutions FoodCoGnutritionLunchByte Systems NUTRIKIDSMEDITECH softwareMicrosoft AccessMicrosoft ExcelMicrosoft Office softwareMicrosoft OutlookMicrosoft PowerPointMicrosoft WordNutriGenie Optimal NutritionPatient electronic medical record EMR softwarePresentation softwareSpreadsheet softwareThe Nutrition Company FoodWorksUSDA Child Nutrition DatabaseValuSoft MasterCookWeb browser softwareWord processing softwareeTritionWare
Representative tasks
Getting InformationEvaluating Information to Determine Compliance with StandardsIdentifying Objects, Actions, and EventsAssisting and Caring for OthersInspecting Equipment, Structures, or MaterialsMonitoring Processes, Materials, or SurroundingsProcessing InformationMaking Decisions and Solving ProblemsDocumenting/Recording InformationUpdating and Using Relevant KnowledgeCommunicating with Supervisors, Peers, or SubordinatesOrganizing, Planning, and Prioritizing WorkEstablishing and Maintaining Interpersonal RelationshipsTraining and Teaching OthersDeveloping and Building TeamsProviding Consultation and Advice to OthersAnalyzing Data or InformationJudging the Qualities of Objects, Services, or PeopleHandling and Moving ObjectsResolving Conflicts and Negotiating with OthersThinking CreativelyScheduling Work and ActivitiesGuiding, Directing, and Motivating SubordinatesEstimating the Quantifiable Characteristics of Products, Events, or InformationCoordinating the Work and Activities of OthersPerforming General Physical ActivitiesCoaching and Developing OthersDeveloping Objectives and StrategiesStaffing Organizational UnitsControlling Machines and ProcessesMonitoring and Controlling ResourcesInterpreting the Meaning of Information for OthersPerforming for or Working Directly with the PublicOperating Vehicles, Mechanized Devices, or EquipmentPerforming Administrative ActivitiesCommunicating with People Outside the OrganizationWorking with ComputersSelling or Influencing OthersRepairing and Maintaining Mechanical EquipmentDrafting, Laying Out, and Specifying Technical Devices, Parts, and Equipment
Competency framework
Skill expectations by proficiency level.
emerging
Patient food intake records — document and report observations to supervising dietitian in a clinical or long-term care setting.Dietary history forms — collect from patients under direct supervision during initial nutritional screening appointments.Standard recipes and group portion guides — follow closely when preparing a major meal in an institutional kitchen.Food service workflow — assist supervising staff with tray line monitoring and portioning tasks in a hospital cafeteria.Basic menu guidelines and established dietary standards — apply when selecting food items for pre-approved meal plans under direction.Electronic health record and medical software — enter patient dietary data accurately following facility protocols with supervisor review.Interdisciplinary care meetings — attend and take notes alongside dietitians and nursing staff on a patient care unit.Nutritional reference materials and food composition databases — retrieve and organize for dietitian review as part of research support tasks.Scheduling software and calendar tools — use to coordinate patient meal delivery and appointment reminders under supervision.Body weight and intake monitoring tools — operate and record measurements for assigned patients, flagging deviations to the supervising dietitian.
developing
Patient dietary progress and weight change patterns — monitor routinely and summarize for the supervising dietitian with reduced oversight in a clinical nutrition unit.Individual dietary histories — obtain, evaluate, and translate into preliminary nutrition care plans for review by a registered dietitian.Group meal production — plan quantities, adjust recipes for volume, and oversee preparation in a healthcare or community food service facility.Food service operations — assist dietitians in supervising kitchen staff, maintaining quality standards, and ensuring regulatory compliance during daily service.Individualized meal plans — develop within established guidelines for patients or community clients with common nutrition-related conditions such as diabetes or hypertension.Nutrition education sessions — deliver structured instruction to individuals or small groups in a community health or outpatient clinic setting.Interdisciplinary team meetings — participate actively, contributing nutrition-related observations and updates on assigned patients' dietary progress.Food and nutrition research data — compile, organize, and summarize using spreadsheet and analytical software to support dietitian-led projects.Inventory management software — use to track food supply levels, reduce waste, and generate reorder requests in a food service environment.Time-sensitive meal service schedules — coordinate across multiple diet types simultaneously, applying time management skills in a busy institutional kitchen.
proficient
Comprehensive nutritional assessments — conduct autonomously across a diverse patient caseload, integrating dietary history, clinical indicators, and lab data in a hospital or outpatient setting.Complex nutrition care plans — design and adjust independently for patients with multiple co-morbidities, using critical thinking and evidence-based dietary guidelines.Major meal production for large groups — plan, execute, and evaluate quality outcomes, adapting recipes and portion calculations to meet therapeutic and budgetary requirements.Food service supervision — lead daily operations, troubleshoot workflow issues, and mentor food service workers in a high-volume healthcare or community nutrition program.Individualized and family-centered dietary counseling — facilitate in-depth guidance sessions on food selection, preparation, and menu planning for clients with complex nutritional needs.Job descriptions and work schedules — develop, refine, and implement for food service or nutrition support staff to optimize departmental efficiency.Interdisciplinary care collaboration — represent the nutrition department, communicate assessment findings clearly, and advocate for dietary interventions during multi-disciplinary team rounds.Nutrition and food service research — lead literature reviews, synthesize findings, and prepare written reports using analytical, database, and desktop publishing software.ERP and inventory management systems — administer food service procurement workflows, analyze usage trends, and identify cost-saving opportunities across a dietary department.Problem sensitivity and decision making — identify and resolve non-routine dietary or operational challenges, such as allergen conflicts or supply shortages, with minimal escalation.
advanced
Departmental nutrition care standards — establish, evaluate, and continuously improve protocols that govern patient monitoring, assessment, and reporting across an entire dietary department.Strategic menu and diet program development — design evidence-based nutritional programs for diverse populations at an organizational or community-system level, setting dietary policy direction.Food service operational model — lead the planning, execution, and quality evaluation of large-scale meal production systems across multiple facilities or service lines.Dietetic technician workforce development — mentor and train emerging and developing staff, design competency-based onboarding curricula, and oversee continuing education in a healthcare organization.Interdisciplinary leadership — chair or co-lead nutrition-focused workgroups within health care teams, integrating dietary expertise into broader patient care improvement initiatives.Job specifications and HR frameworks — author comprehensive job descriptions, performance standards, and staffing models for nutrition and food service personnel at an organizational level.Organizational nutrition research agenda — direct multi-project research support activities, coordinate data collection across teams, and translate findings into departmental policy and practice.Technology and systems optimization — evaluate, select, and implement medical, ERP, and analytical software platforms to modernize nutrition informatics and food service management across the organization.Regulatory and safety compliance leadership — interpret law, government, and public safety standards to establish departmental policies ensuring full compliance across all food production and patient care functions.Stakeholder communication and advocacy — present nutrition program outcomes, resource needs, and strategic recommendations to executive leadership, boards, or community health partners using high-level written and oral communication.
Also known as
36 alternate job titles map to this occupation.
Certified Dietary Manager (CDM)Child Nutrition AssistantClinical Dietetic TechnicianCook Chill Technician (CCT)Diet AideDiet AssistantDiet ClerkDiet Tech (Diet Technician)Diet Tech (Dietetic Technician)Diet Technician Registered (DTR)Dietary AideDietary AssistantDietary ClerkDietary Technician (Dietary Tech)Dietetic AssistantDietetic Technician Registered (DTR)Food and Nutrition AssistantFood and Nutrition Services AssistantFood Service TechnicianMenu PlannerNutrition AssistantNutrition AssociateNutrition Care AssistantNutrition ClerkNutrition CoordinatorNutrition CounselorNutrition Services AssistantNutrition Services AssociateNutrition Services AttendantNutrition Services Technician (Nutrition Services Tech)Nutrition Services WorkerNutrition TechnicianRegistered Diet TechnicianRegistered Dietetic Technician (DTR)School Nutrition AssistantSchool Nutrition Manager