Clinical Pharmacist Practitioner - Transitions of Care Job

Vacancy No. CBSW-12737170-25-MMR Department Veterans Health Administration
Salary $163,332.00 to $212,335.00 Grade 13 to 13
Perm/Temp Permanent FT/PT Full-time
Open Date 5/22/2025 Close Date 6/11/2025
Job Link Apply Online Who may apply Status Candidates
Locations:
Martinez, CAMather AFB, CAStockton, CA


Summary

The Clinical Pharmacist Practitioner (CPP), Primary Care Service - Transitions of Care Team (TOC) assigned to the Outpatient Clinic, is expected to work closely with all members in the VA Northern California Health Care System (VANCHCS) and will receive program direction and guidance from the team's leadership, i.e., Associate Chief of Pharmacy, Chief of Primary Care, and/or Medical Director.

This job is open to

Clarification from the agency

This announcement is open only to Permanent VHA or upcoming VHA Health Professions Trainee (HPT) graduates.

Duties

FUNCTIONS OR SCOPE OF ASSIGNED DUTIES:

The principal area of involvement for the incumbent is during the transition of Veterans from non-VA facilities back into the VA system. The incumbent coordinates medication related needs with the TOC Team. Responsibilities include, but are not limited to, the following areas: Clinical - Direct Patient Care Activities that require a scope of practice:

  • Core functions include face-to-face and telephone encounters with referred patients for comprehensive medication management in practice areas identified in their individual scope of practice.
  • Functions as a mid-level provider to design, implement, and monitor therapeutic drug plans to achieve definite outcomes through direct interactions with patients and providers in assigned areas.
  • Orders, performs, reviews, and analyzes appropriate laboratory tests and other diagnostic studies necessary to monitor and support the patient's drug therapy.
  • Follows up with patients on lab or test results to discuss the plan of therapy, i.e., changes in medication therapy, monitoring, and additional testing requirements.
  • Clinical Pharmacist Practitioners will determine if a referral to the physician is necessary when disease progression occurs, or adverse drug events require treatment interventions outside of the CPP scope of practice.
  • Serves as liaison with Pharmacy Service, Outpatient Clinics in general, Mather inpatient staff, Community Living Center/Center for Rehabilitation and Extended Care (CLC/CREC), Home Based Primary Care (HBPC) and other related areas in order to improve communication, solve problems, and maintain continuity of care throughout VANCHCS.
Clinical - Indirect Patient Care Activities:
  • Identify patients who may benefit from comprehensive medication management through population management reports and during team huddles.
  • Review patient medication regimens for clinical effectiveness, drug selection, dosing, contraindications, side effects, potential drug interactions and therapeutic outcomes as required. Communicates findings with prescribers and provides appropriate alternatives to current treatment plans as needed.
  • Monitor and report drug errors, adverse drug reactions, allergies, and patient compliance issues. Documents findings per facility procedures.
  • Apply knowledge of normal laboratory values in the evaluation of patient care, recognizes significant abnormalities, and makes dose adjustment recommendations based on objective laboratory findings. Reviews and evaluates requests for non-formulary and restricted drugs for appropriateness and compliance with established criteria where applicable.
  • Assists Pharmacy and Therapeutics committee with medication use evaluations and other safety initiatives. Promotes and monitors compliance for established drug therapy policies.
  • Works with providers to ensure compliance with national, VISN, and local initiatives.
Drug Information:
  • Serves as an authority on drug usage, interactions, over-dosages, and compliance to medical staff, nursing staff, technicians, and students. Uses appropriate references to research drug information.
  • Has a good working knowledge of information resources, both written and electronic.
  • Maintains a current knowledge of therapeutics and disease management.
  • Provides timely and accurate responses to drug information inquiries from all customers.
  • Effectively instructs patients and family members in the appropriate use of medications and medical devices. Is able to adjust communication and tracking methods based on age and developmental considerations. Is able to accurately assess and document patient comprehension. Is able to refer patients to educational programs provided at the medical center by multidisciplinary teams.
Program Management:
  • Serves on medical center and/or VISN committees as requested.
  • Adheres to all medical center and department policies and regulations.
  • Manages information security within areas of responsibility to assure that computer system security and confidentiality of sensitive information is maintained, and that employee access to sensitive information is limited only to that which the employee requires to perform their duties. Takes action as necessary to report and address violations of information security.
Work Schedule: Monday - Friday 8:00am - 4:30pm
Telework: This position is not authorized for telework
Compressed/Flexible Schedule: Not Available
Financial Disclosure Report: Not Required
Virtual: This is not a virtual position.
Relocation/Recruitment Incentives: Not Authorized

Requirements

Conditions of Employment

  • You must be a U.S. Citizen to apply for this job.
  • All applicants tentatively selected for VA employment in a testing designated position are subject to urinalysis to screen for illegal drug use prior to appointment. Applicants who refuse to be tested will be denied employment with VA.
  • Selective Service Registration is required for males born after 12/31/1959.
  • Must be proficient in written and spoken English.
  • You may be required to serve a probationary period.
  • Subject to background/security investigation.
  • Selected applicants will be required to complete an online onboarding process. Acceptable form(s) of identification will be required to complete pre-employment requirements (https://www.uscis.gov/i-9-central/form-i-9-acceptable-documents). Effective May 7, 2025, driver's licenses or state-issued dentification cards that are not REAL ID compliant cannot be utilized as an acceptable form of identification for employment.
  • Must pass pre-employment physical examination.
  • Participation in the seasonal influenza vaccination program is a requirement for all Department of Veterans Affairs Health Care Personnel (HCP).

Qualifications

Applicants pending the completion of educational or certification/licensure requirements may be referred and tentatively selected but may not be hired until all requirements are met.

Education:
  1. Graduate of an Accreditation Council for Pharmacy Education (ACPE) accredited College or School of Pharmacy with a baccalaureate degree in pharmacy (BS Pharmacy) and/or a Doctor of Pharmacy (Pharm.D.) degree. (NOTE: Prior to 2005 ACPE accredited both baccalaureate and Doctor of Pharmacy terminal degree program. Today the sole degree is Doctor of Pharmacy). TRANSCRIPTS MUST BE SUBMITTED WITH APPLICATION
  2. Graduates of foreign pharmacy degree programs meet the educational requirement if the graduate is able to provide proof of achieving the Foreign Pharmacy Graduate Examination Commission (FPGEC) Certification, which includes passing the Foreign Pharmacy Graduate Equivalency Examination (FPGEE) and the Test of English as a Foreign Language Internet-Based Test (TOEFL iBT). YOU MUST SUBMIT A COPY OF FPGEE AND TOEFL WITH YOUR APPLICATION.
NOTE: Prior to 2005 ACPE accredited both baccalaureate and Doctor of Pharmacy terminal degree program. Today the sole degree is Doctor of Pharmacy. Graduates of foreign pharmacy degree programs meet the educational requirement if the graduate is able to provide proof of achieving the Foreign Pharmacy Graduate Examination Commission (FPGEC) Certification, which includes passing the Foreign Pharmacy Graduate Equivalency Examination (FPGEE) and the Test of English as a Foreign Language Internet-Based Test (TOEFL iBT).

Licensure: Full, current and unrestricted license to practice pharmacy in a State, Territory, Commonwealth of the United States (i.e., Puerto Rico), or the District of Columbia. The pharmacist must maintain current registration if this is a requirement for maintaining full, current, and unrestricted licensure. A pharmacist who has, or has ever had, any license(s) revoked, suspended, denied, restricted, limited, or issued/placed in a probationary status may be appointed only in accordance with the provisions in VA Handbook 5005, Part II, Chapter 3, section B, paragraph 16. YOU MUST SUBMIT A COPY OF CURRENT LICENSE WITH THE APPLICATION PACKAGE.

May qualify based on being covered by the Grandfathering Provision as described in the VA Qualification Standard for this occupation (only applicable to current VHA employees who are in this occupation and meet the criteria). All licensed pharmacists employed in VHA in this occupation on the effective date of this qualification standard are considered to have met all qualification requirements for the title, series and grade held, including positive education and licensure/certification/registration that are part of the basic requirements of the occupation. For employees who do not meet all the basic requirements required in this standard, but who met the qualifications applicable to the position at the time they were appointed to it, the following provisions apply:

Grade Determinations: In addition to the basic requirements for employment stated above, the following criteria must be met when determining the grade of candidates.

Preferred Experience: Candidates for the PACT Clinical Pharmacist Practitioner (CPP) should possess the outlined skills with specific experience in the area of primary care chronic disease management. Candidates should have recent experience in a current or previous job (including residency training) that includes direct patient care and comprehensive medication management responsibilities in the Primary Care setting. Preferred candidates will have an advanced pharmacy degree (Pharm.D), board certification (BPS), PGY1 and/or PGY2 Pharmacy Practice Residency, or equivalent experience or mentorship. Preference will be given to those who have experience delivering care to the target patient population.

GS-13 Clinical Pharmacy Specialist

Experience or Education. In addition to the GS-13 requirements, must have 1 year of experience equivalent to the next lower grade level.

Pharmacists assigned to this position must demonstrate the following knowledge, skills and abilities (KSAs):
  1. Ability to communicate orally and in writing to persuade and influence clinical and management decisions.
  2. Expert understanding of regulatory and quality standards for their program area.
  3. Ability to solve problems, coordinate and organize responsibilities to maximize outcomes in their program area or area of clinical expertise.
  4. Expert knowledge of a specialized area of clinical pharmacy practice or specialty area of pharmacy.
  5. Advanced skill in monitoring and assessing the outcome of drug therapies, including physical assessment and interpretation of laboratory and other diagnostic parameters.
References: VA Handbook 5005, Part II, Appendix G15, dated June 7, 2012, VA Pharmacist Qualification Standards, GS-660.

Physical Requirements: The position requires visual and auditory acuity at a level to provide safe and effective care. Use and function of all normal motor and sensory anatomy for provision of patient care, reading, writing, listening, observing/seeing, heavy lifting, bending, pulling, pushing, stooping, squatting, walking, standing, use of fine motor muscles. In an eight-hour day, must be able to sit for 3 hours, stand for 3 hours, and walk for 1 hour. The position also requires ability to work on computers for extended periods of time. Requires use of hands for actions such as typing, simple grasping, fine manipulation, and repetitive actions.

Requires the ability to frequently respond to multiple demands and priorities; emotional intelligence to respond to stressful and/or emergent situations and crises appropriately and calmly; self-care skills to maintain physical, psychological, and emotional health. Heavy lifting of 35 pounds and over, heavy carrying of 35 pounds and over, straight pulling, pushing, reaching above shoulder, use of fingers, both hands required, walking, standing, kneeling, repeated bending, ability for rapid mental and muscular coordination simultaneously. Has potential for exposure to infectious diseases, hazardous waste and chemicals. Applicants pending the completion of educational or certification/licensure requirements may be referred and tentatively selected but may not be hired until all requirements are met.

Basic Requirements:

U.S. citizenship. Non-citizens may be appointed when it is not possible to recruit qualified citizens in accordance with VA Policy.

English Language Proficiency. Pharmacists must be proficient in spoken and written English as required by 38 U.S.C. 7402(d), and 7407(d).

Education

IMPORTANT: A transcript must be submitted with your application if you are basing all or part of your qualifications on education.

Note: Only education or degrees recognized by the U.S. Department of Education from accredited colleges, universities, schools, or institutions may be used to qualify for Federal employment. You can verify your education here: http://ope.ed.gov/accreditation/. If you are using foreign education to meet qualification requirements, you must send a Certificate of Foreign Equivalency with your transcript in order to receive credit for that education. For further information, visit: http://www.ed.gov/about/offices/list/ous/international/usnei/us/edlite-visitus-forrecog.html.

Benefits

A career with the U.S. government provides employees with a comprehensive benefits package. As a federal employee, you and your family will have access to a range of benefits that are designed to make your federal career very rewarding. Opens in a new windowLearn more about federal benefits.

Review our benefits

Eligibility for benefits depends on the type of position you hold and whether your position is full-time, part-time or intermittent. Contact the hiring agency for more information on the specific benefits offered.

How You Will Be Evaluated

You will be evaluated for this job based on how well you meet the qualifications above.

IN DESCRIBING YOUR EXPERIENCE, PLEASE BE CLEAR AND SPECIFIC. WE MAY NOT MAKE ASSUMPTIONS REGARDING YOUR EXPERIENCE. Your application, resume, C.V., and/or supporting documentation will be verified. Please follow all instructions carefully. Errors or omissions may affect consideration for employment.

Experience refers to paid and unpaid experience, including volunteer work done through National Service programs (e.g., Peace Corps, AmeriCorps) and other organizations (e.g., professional; philanthropic; religions; spiritual; community; student; social). Volunteer work helps build critical competencies, knowledge, and skills and can provide valuable training and experience that translates directly to paid employment.

You will receive credit for all qualifying experience, including volunteer experience. The Department of Veterans Affairs performs pre-employment reference checks as an assessment method used in the hiring process to verify information provided by a candidate (e.g., on resume or during interview or hiring process); gain additional knowledge regarding a candidate's abilities; and assist a hiring manager with making a final selection for a position. It is the policy of the VA to not deny employment to those that have faced financial hardships or periods of unemployment.

Veterans and Transitioning Service Members: Please visit the VA for Vets site for career-search tools for Veterans seeking employment at VA, career development services for our existing Veterans, and coaching and reintegration support for military service members.

Required Documents

To apply for this position, you must provide a complete Application Package which includes:

  • Resume - Must include the following information for each job listed:
  • Job title
  • Duties (be as detailed as possible)Month & Year start/end dates (e.g. June 2017 to April 2019)
  • Full-time or part-time status (MUST include hours worked per week)
  • Your resume must also demonstrate that you meet the KSAs listed for the occupation and grade at which you qualify. Descriptions of duties must be sufficiently detailed to document the level of experience. If the position was/is with the Federal government, either military or civilian, state the series and grade or pay grade (rank) and the date of last promotion)
  • Transcripts: This position has an education requirement. You are strongly encouraged to submit a copy of your transcripts or a list of your courses including titles, credit hours completed, and grades. Unofficial transcripts will be accepted in the application package. Official transcripts will be required from all selectees prior to receiving an official offer.
  • Licensure. Full, current and unrestricted license to practice pharmacy in a State, Territory, Commonwealth of the United States.
Please note: You will not be contacted for additional information. Applicants will be deemed ineligible if supporting documentation is not submitted. The following documents are accepted, and required if applicable to your eligibility and/or qualifications for this position. Please use this checklist to ensure you have included all documents required for your application.

If you are relying on your education to meet qualification requirements:

Education must be accredited by an accrediting institution recognized by the U.S. Department of Education in order for it to be credited towards qualifications. Therefore, provide only the attendance and/or degrees from schools accredited by accrediting institutions recognized by the U.S. Department of Education.

Failure to provide all of the required information as stated in this vacancy announcement may result in an ineligible rating or may affect the overall rating.

How to Apply

All applicants are encouraged to apply online. To apply for this position, you must complete the full questionnaire and submit the documentation specified in the Required Documents section below. The complete application package must be submitted by 11:59 PM on 06/11/2025 to receive consideration. To preview the questionnaire click https://apply.usastaffing.gov/ViewQuestionnaire/12737170.

  1. To begin, click Apply Online to create a USAJOBS account or log in to your existing account. Follow the prompts to select your USA JOBS resume and/or other supporting documents and complete the occupational questionnaire.
  2. Click Submit My Answers to submit your application package.
NOTE: It is your responsibility to ensure your responses and appropriate documentation is submitted prior to the closing date. To verify your application is complete, log into your USA JOBS account, https://my.usajobs.gov/Account/Login, select the Application Status link and then select the more information link for this position. The Details page will display the status of your application, the documentation received and processed, and any correspondence the agency has sent related to this application. Your uploaded documents may take several hours to clear the virus scan process. To return to an incomplete application, log into your USA JOBS account and click Update Application in the vacancy announcement. You must re-select your resume and/or other documents from your USA JOBS account or your application will be incomplete.

Agency contact information

Mellisa Reyes
Address
VA Northern California Health Care System
10535 Hospital Way
Mather, CA 95655
US

Next steps

Once your online application is submitted you will receive a confirmation notification by email. After we receive application packages (including all required documents) and the vacancy announcement closes, we will review applications to ensure qualification and eligibility requirements are met. After the review is complete, a referral certificate(s) is issued and applicants will be notified of their status by email. Referred applicants will be notified as such and may be contacted directly by the hiring office for an interview. All referred applicants receive a final notification once a selection decision has been made.You may check the status of your application at any time by logging into your USA Jobs account and clicking on Applications. Information regarding your application status can be found in the USAJobs Help Center.

NOTE: Participation in the seasonal influenza program is a condition of employment and a requirement for all Department of Veterans Affairs Health Care Personnel (HCP). It is a requirement that all HCP to receive annual seasonal influenza vaccination or obtain an exemption for medical or religious reasons. Wearing a face mask is required when an exemption to the influenza vaccination has been granted. HCP in violation of this directive may face disciplinary action up to and including removal from federal service. HCP are individuals who, during the influenza season, work in VHA locations or who come into contact with VA patients or other HCP as part of their duties. VHA locations include, but are not limited to, VA hospitals and associated clinics, community living centers (CLCs), community-based outpatient clinics (CBOCs), domiciliary units, Vet centers and VA-leased medical facilities. HCP include all VA licensed and unlicensed, clinical and administrative, remote and onsite, paid and without compensation, full- and part-time employees, intermittent employees, fee basis employees, VA contractors, researchers, volunteers and health professions trainees (HPTs) who are expected to perform any or all of their work at these facilities. HPTs may be paid or unpaid and include residents, interns, fellows and students. HCP also includes VHA personnel providing home-based care to Veterans and drivers and other personnel whose duties put them in contact with patients outside VA medical facilities.


Note: We cannot accept applications on behalf of Federal Agencies. Application instructions are listed within the Job Description.


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