Dietetic Technicians or Dietetic Technician, Registered (DTR), have many new job opportunities on the horizon. Companies are realizing the importance of a nutrition professional joining their team to enhance their company’s health and wellness.

What is a Dietetic Technician

According to the Commission on Dietetic Registration, "Dietetic Technician, Registered (DTRs) work in a variety of work settings and are often in flexible roles that navigate between food service and clinical nutrition care. Earning the DTR credential allows you to take the next step to advance your career in dietetics and nutrition."

The Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics has a Fact Sheet with on becoming a dietetic technician.

What Can a Dietetic Technician Do?

The Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics together with the Commission on Dietetic Registration sets the credentialing standards for the Scope of Practice for dietetic technicians, NDTRs.

Here's their official Scope of Practice statement: "For NDTRs, scope of practice focuses on food, nutrition, and dietetics practice, as well as related services. NDTRs work under the supervision of an RDN when in direct patient/client nutrition care, and may work independently in providing general nutrition education to healthy populations, consulting to foodservice business and industry, conducting nutrient analysis, collecting data and conducting research, and managing food and nutrition services in a variety of settings. The scope of practice in nutrition and dietetics encompasses the range of roles, activities, and regulations within which nutrition and dietetics practitioners perform."

So that gives us lots of job opportunity to explore our passion in food and nutrition!

7 Exciting Career Paths for the Dietetic Technician

1. Spokesperson: DTRs can represent a company’s products and discuss the benefits of using the brand. Reach out to specific companies you believe in to inform them of your services as a consultant and spokesperson for their brand enhancement. This can include going to trade shows, public relations, and more.

2. Influencer: Become a social media influencer by establishing a strong following on a specific social media platform such as Instagram, Facebook, Pinterest, or Twitter. Think about your mission, values, and goals in order to develop a strong brand and voice. Use your blog to leverage your messaging and platform.

3. Food Photographer/Stylist: A photo can capture a person’s attention and make them want to try the recipe. Food photography is huge. Learn how to snap that camera lens and take a mouthwatering shot.

4. Recipe Development: Develop, taste, and test recipes. This can also include food cost modeling and nutrient analysis. Some of these positions may even assist the food photographer for styling the food after it is tested.

5. Start-Ups: Tech companies focusing on health and wellness are hiring health professionals including both dietitians and DTRs to assist with content and product development for their new apps and technologies.

6. Private Practice: DTRs are starting their private nutrition consulting practices. The practice can consist of doing nutrition projects with other companies, performing in supervisory roles, or conducting nutrition coaching and education.

7. Virtual Nutrition Coach: There is an app for that and nutrition apps are hiring DTRs to do virtual coaching for their users. Virtual coaching can include reviewing food journals, coaching clients, developing educational modules and materials, and more.

Think outside of the box when it comes to your career path as a Dietetic Technician. Many new opportunities are rising and you can develop your future, untraditional dream job.

Traditional Jobs for Dietetic Technicians

Since you have credentials as a Dietetic Technician, Registered, you can work independently or as a team member under the supervision of registered dietitians in a lots of different of work settings, including health care, business and industry, community nutrition, public health, foodservice, and research. The Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics has a Fact Sheet with traditional jobs for dietetic technicians.

Many work environments require that you be credentialed as a NDTR. NDTRs work by helping to treat and prevent disease by conducting nutrition assessment screenings, collecting data and performing other tasks to assist (with RDN supervision when providing medical nutrition therapy) as an important part of health-care teams.

• Hospitals
• HMOs
• Clinics
• Nursing homes
• Retirement centers
• Hospices
• Home health-care programs
• Research facilities
• Schools, day-care centers, correctional facilities, restaurants, health-care facilities, corporations and hospitals, managing employees, purchasing and food preparation and preparing budgets within foodservice operations.
• Women, infant, children (WIC) programs, public health agencies, Meals on Wheels and community health programs, developing and teaching nutrition classes for the public.
• Health clubs, weight management clinics and community wellness centers, helping to educate clients about the connection between food, fitness and health.
• Food companies, contract food management companies or food vending and distributing operations developing menus, overseeing foodservice sanitation and food safety and preparing food labeling information and nutrient analysis.

About the Author

Sarah Koszyk is founder of Family. Food. Fiesta. A family-based wellness program and blog focusing on recipes, family health tips, and videos with kids cooking in the kitchen. She is a Registered Dietitian and Nutrition Coach specializing in sports nutrition and adult and pediatric weight management. Connect with her on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, Pinterest, or LinkedIn.