Key Responsibilities and Required Skills for Nutrition Research Coordinator

🎯 Role Definition

The Nutrition Research Coordinator is a hands-on research professional responsible for coordinating the design, implementation, and operational delivery of nutrition and dietary intervention studies. This role manages day-to-day study activities including participant recruitment and retention, informed consent, dietary assessments, biospecimen collection and processing, data capture and quality assurance, regulatory compliance (IRB, HIPAA, GCP), and close collaboration with investigators, study teams, clinical staff, and community partners. The ideal candidate balances rigorous protocol adherence with exceptional participant-facing skills to ensure high-quality data and participant experience across clinical and community-based nutrition research projects.

📈 Career Progression

Typical Career Path

Entry Point From:

Research Assistant or Study Coordinator (Nutrition, Public Health, Clinical Research)
Clinical Dietitian / Registered Dietitian transitioning to research
Laboratory Technician with experience in biospecimen handling

Advancement To:

Senior Research Coordinator / Lead Study Coordinator
Clinical Research Manager or Project Manager (nutrition/clinical trials)
Research Program Manager or Study Operations Manager
Clinical Trials Coordinator / Clinical Research Associate (CRA)

Lateral Moves:

Clinical Dietitian focused on research implementation
Data Manager for nutrition research projects
Regulatory Affairs Specialist for human subjects research

Core Responsibilities

Primary Functions

Coordinate all phases of nutrition research studies from study start-up through closeout, including protocol implementation, site readiness, staff training, and tracking of milestones to ensure timely, high-quality execution of dietary research protocols.
Serve as the primary point of contact for study participants, managing recruitment, screening, scheduling, consenting, enrollment, and retention efforts using culturally sensitive, participant-centered approaches that maximize adherence and minimize loss to follow-up.
Conduct in-person and virtual dietary assessments and exposure measurements (24-hour dietary recalls, food frequency questionnaires, ASA24, dietary records) and ensure consistent, validated administration of dietary instruments across participants.
Perform standardized anthropometric measurements (height, weight, waist circumference, skinfolds), vitals, and clinical/physiological assessments (blood pressure, body composition via DEXA or bioimpedance where applicable) following SOPs and quality control procedures.
Coordinate biospecimen collection, labeling, processing, aliquoting, storage, and shipment (blood, urine, stool, saliva) in compliance with protocol, biosafety regulations, and biorepository guidelines, ensuring sample integrity and accurate chain-of-custody documentation.
Prepare and maintain detailed study documentation including case report forms (CRFs), source documents, regulatory binders, study manuals, and SOPs to support reproducibility and audit readiness.
Manage electronic data capture and data quality using REDCap, EDC systems, or institutional databases; perform routine data cleaning, query resolution, and documentation of data provenance to ensure analytic readiness.
Draft, submit, and manage IRB/ethics applications, amendments, continuing reviews, and reportable event notifications; ensure all study activities comply with IRB approvals and human subjects protection standards.
Maintain strict adherence to HIPAA and confidentiality procedures, including secure handling of protected health information and study records, and train team members in privacy best practices.
Monitor study budgets, track expenses and participant stipends, support grant administration tasks, assist with procurement of study supplies, and coordinate logistics for study visits and field work.
Train, supervise, and provide ongoing mentorship for junior coordinators, research assistants, and student workers; develop training materials and competency assessments for study-specific tasks.
Implement quality assurance and quality control plans, perform internal audits, and lead corrective action steps to resolve protocol deviations and maintain data integrity.
Coordinate interactions with clinical and laboratory partners (phlebotomy, pathology, nutrition labs) and external vendors for assays, specimen processing, and equipment maintenance to ensure timely results and specimen tracking.
Facilitate multi-site coordination and communication for collaborative studies, maintain site-level SOP harmonization, and participate in investigator meetings and teleconferences to share progress and troubleshoot operational challenges.
Support development, pilot testing, and refinement of study instruments, participant materials, and recruitment messaging to maximize comprehension, cultural appropriateness, and response rates.
Manage scheduling and logistics for participant study visits, home visits, mobile clinics, or community-based data collection events; coordinate travel, space allocation, and staffing to optimize throughput and participant experience.
Oversee the use and calibration of specialized nutrition and metabolic equipment (indirect calorimetry, metabolic carts, DEXA, accelerometers) and ensure staff proficiency in standardized measurement techniques.
Facilitate data transfers and integration between clinical systems, laboratory information systems, and research databases; collaborate with data analysts to define variable dictionaries and analytic datasets.
Contribute to manuscript preparation, abstract submission, and dissemination activities by assembling methods documentation, study flow diagrams, and supporting tables/figures; support investigators with grant proposals and progress reports.
Maintain up-to-date knowledge of best practices in nutrition research methods, dietary assessment technology, human subjects protections, and regulatory requirements by attending trainings and professional development opportunities.
Respond promptly to participant safety issues, adverse events, and protocol deviations; document incidents, notify the PI and IRB as required, and implement remedial actions to protect participant welfare.

Secondary Functions

Support ad-hoc data requests, exploratory analyses, and the preparation of analytic files in collaboration with biostatisticians and data managers.
Contribute to the program’s research strategy by identifying operational efficiencies, participant engagement opportunities, and methodological improvements in dietary assessment and biospecimen workflows.
Assist with grant writing, budget justifications, and progress report content to support continued funding and program growth.
Build and maintain community partnerships and outreach channels for targeted recruitment in diverse populations, including translation of study materials and coordination with community advisory boards.
Maintain and update training materials, SOPs, and competency checklists; facilitate regular refresher trainings to ensure protocol fidelity across rotating staff.
Manage inventory of study supplies, coordinate shipments of testing kits and specimens, and troubleshoot logistical challenges for remote or decentralized trial components.
Coordinate vendor relationships for lab assays, device procurement, and third-party data services, including review of service agreements and performance metrics.
Produce regular recruitment, retention, and data quality reports for investigators and sponsors to inform operational decision-making.
Participate in institutional quality improvement and safety committees as they relate to nutrition research operations.
Provide cross-coverage for other study teams during high-volume periods or staff absences, ensuring continuity of participant care and data collection.

Required Skills & Competencies

Hard Skills (Technical)

Clinical study coordination and project management for nutrition and dietary intervention studies, including start-up, recruitment, retention, and closeout.
Human subjects protection and regulatory management: IRB submissions, amendments, continuing review, and reporting of unanticipated problems.
Proficiency with electronic data capture platforms (REDCap preferred), EDC workflows, and designing CRFs and database documentation.
Expertise in dietary assessment methods and tools (24-hour recalls, FFQs, ASA24, dietary records) and ability to conduct interviewer-administered dietary interviews.
Anthropometry and physiological measurement skills: standardized protocols for height, weight, circumference, skinfolds, blood pressure, and body composition (DEXA/bioimpedance).
Biospecimen handling and laboratory coordination: venipuncture or phlebotomy oversight, specimen collection, processing, aliquoting, cryostorage, and shipping compliance.
Data management and QA/QC: data cleaning, query resolution, audit trails, and preparation of analysis-ready datasets; familiarity with variable dictionaries.
Working knowledge of statistical software and data analysis concepts (R, SAS, SPSS) to collaborate effectively with biostatistics teams.
Familiarity with Good Clinical Practice (GCP), HIPAA, and local clinical trial regulations and reporting requirements.
Technical proficiency in Microsoft Office (Excel modeling, Word, PowerPoint) and study scheduling/participant tracking systems.
Experience using participant-facing technologies (mobile dietary apps, online survey platforms) and remote/telehealth visit workflows.
Budget tracking and grant administration skills for federal, foundation, or industry-funded research projects.

Soft Skills

Excellent oral and written communication for participant interactions, protocol documentation, and multi-disciplinary team coordination.
Strong organizational and time-management skills to manage complex schedules, competing deadlines, and multiple concurrent studies.
High attention to detail combined with a practical, problem-solving mindset for data integrity and operational troubleshooting.
Interpersonal skills and cultural humility to build rapport with diverse participants and community partners.
Leadership and mentorship abilities to train, supervise, and motivate junior research staff.
Flexibility and adaptability to respond to changing protocols, regulatory requirements, and operational priorities.
Ethical judgment and professionalism in handling sensitive participant information and adverse events.
Customer-service orientation to create a positive participant experience and maximize study retention.
Analytical mindset to interpret recruitment metrics and implement data-driven improvements in study operations.
Collaborative team player comfortable working across clinical, lab, and academic stakeholders.

Education & Experience

Educational Background

Minimum Education:

Bachelor’s degree in Nutrition, Dietetics, Public Health, Epidemiology, Biology, or a related life sciences field.

Preferred Education:

Master’s degree (MPH, MS) in Nutrition, Public Health, Epidemiology, Clinical Research, or related discipline.
Registered Dietitian (RD/RDN) or CCRC (Certified Clinical Research Coordinator) credential preferred for certain positions.

Relevant Fields of Study:

Nutrition / Dietetics
Public Health / Epidemiology
Clinical Research / Health Sciences
Biology / Biochemistry

Experience Requirements

Typical Experience Range:

2–5 years of progressive experience coordinating nutrition, metabolic, or clinical research studies; may range from entry-level (1–2 years) to senior coordinator roles (5+ years).

Preferred:

3+ years managing human subjects research with experience in IRB processes, dietary assessment methods, biospecimen protocols, and electronic data capture systems.
Prior experience with federally funded grants, multi-site studies, or clinical trials is highly desirable.
Demonstrated success in participant recruitment and retention strategies for diverse populations and experience with community-engaged research approaches.