Rural Health Nutrition Specialist (Program Specialist II)

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Rural Health Nutrition Specialist (Program Specialist II)

Posted: July 7, 2026

he Rural Health Transformation Program (RHTP) is a collaborative effort to leverage partnerships between agriculture partners and schools to promote healthy living through proper nutrition and access to healthy foods. We have four exciting opportunities to align schools, producers, and communities in ways that strengthen local food systems and improve nutrition for children by leveraging the school nutrition programs while supporting and growing local economies.

This position focuses on culinary training, and will coordinate culinary workforce training for school foodservice staff. The training will supports service of healthy meals by designing menus that incorporate scratch-cooking techniques to support provision of nutrient-dense foods that help prevent and reduce chronic disease. The team is looking for candidates who are registered dietitians and familiar with government operations and educational settings, and who understand school nutrition program operations and program requirements.

The Nebraska Department of Education does not sponsor or transfer non-immigrant work visas for these positions.

This position is fixed term, with an end date of July 31, 2027. Any potential extensions are subject to the continuation and availability of funding.

Office Location: This position is assigned to our office located at 84th & O St, Lincoln, NE.

Essential Functions

• Administers grant processes to increase capacity of local farmers, ranchers, and food suppliers to produce and deliver healthy, kitchen-ready food products for school nutrition programs.
• Develops outreach and marketing strategies to increase awareness of funding opportunities.
• Develops and implements training opportunities for grant award recipients related to the Rural Health Transformation Program (RHTP), including program compliance, grant requirements, procedures, and best practices.
• Responds to inquiries and provides guidance related to the grant application, award acceptance, and reimbursement processes.
• Collaborates to ensure grant processes and documentation are in compliance with agency, state, and federal requirements.
• Establishes and analyzes reporting and recording systems to monitor metrics and submit review reports.
• Maintains regular & reliable attendance, possesses a valid driver's license and travels independently, and works in a variety of settings.

Working Conditions and Travel:

This position requires approximately 85% of work time spent in an office environment; the remaining 15% is spent traveling or working in alternative sites such as trainings, conferences, and meetings. There is also approximately three days of overnight travel per month.

Requirements / Qualifications

Minimum Qualifications: Bachelor's degree in a related field and three years of experience related to the essential functions of the position. Any equivalent education and/or work experience may be substituted in order to meet the minimum qualifications of the position.

Preferred Qualifications: Experience administering state or federal grant programs and working with state and local agriculture partners. Proficient in communicating with stakeholders and developing and delivering training to a variety of audiences.

This position is federally funded and may be governed by the Federal Hatch Act. Click here to review the Act.

Zone 5

Category

Nebraska Dept. of Education

Additional Information

Pay Grade 7: $30.979/hour

This rate is based upon available budget funds; any offer will be made at this rate.

Teammates Enjoy

In addition to being part of meaningful work and making a difference through public service, our Total Compensation package includes an approximate $27,300 in additional Benefits value! See full benefits information at https://statejobs.nebraska.gov/index.html#benefits

• Competitive benefits, paid time off, and retirement

• 79% employer-paid health insurance, dental, vision, long and short-term disability, flex spending and health savings accounts, employee discount program, and more!

• Generous vacation and sick leave earnings each year (starting at 12 days each!), plus a variety of other leave types

• 156% state-matched retirement (yes, that's $1.56 for every dollar!) with a guaranteed 5% return

• Thirteen paid holidays per year

Benefits

We offer a comprehensive package of pay, benefits, paid time off, retirement and professional development opportunities to help you get the most out of your career and life. Your paycheck is just part of your total compensation.

Check out all that the State of Nebraska has to offer! Benefit eligibility may vary by position, agency and employment status. For more information on benefits, please visit: https://statejobs.nebraska.gov/index.html#benefits

Contact Information

Nebraska Department of Education

500 S 84th St

Lincoln, Nebraska 68510

https://www.education.ne.gov/

Jasmine Lionberger

(p) (402) 440-3705

How to Apply

All applications must be received through the governmentjobs site in order to be considered: https://bit.ly/jobs-nde

You can view benefit information and all other Nebraska state jobs at https://statejobs.nebraska.gov/

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It is the policy of the Nebraska Department of Education not to discriminate on the basis of sex, disability, race, color, religion, marital status, age or national origin in its educational programs, admission policies, employment, or other agency programs.

Nebraska.gov | Policies

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