Summary

The Supervisory Lead Pharmacist at ICE Health Service Corps oversees pharmacy operations, supervises staff, dispenses medications, manages inventory, ensures compliance with policies, provides patient care and counseling, participates in quality improvement, and collaborates with clinical teams. Requires license, experience, and CPR/BLS certification.

This position is only open to current USPHS officers.
USPHS Call to Active Duty (CAD) candidates are not eligible for this position.

This job is open to

The public

U.S. Citizens, Nationals or those who owe allegiance to the U.S.

Clarification from the agency

Applicants must be a current USPHS Commissioned Corps Officer. USPHS Call to Active Duty (CAD) candidates are not eligible for this position. Civilians are not eligible for this position.

Duties

DUTIES AND RESPONSIBILITIES:

Supervise the provision of all on-site pharmaceutical services at the specified detention facility with >50% of time spent on clinical tasks. Directly supervise 1-2 staff pharmacists; pharmaceutical program supervision includes setting the goals, objectives, and direction for the pharmacy program at the assigned facility. Plan and organize their own work, determine the sequence of assignments and work to be accomplished by the on-site pharmacy staff, set and adjust short-term priorities, prepare schedules for completion of work, assign work to staff, evaluate work performance of the staff pharmacist(s), and provide guidance and mentorship to interdisciplinary junior staff to develop clinical judgement, leadership, and interpersonal skills.
Dispense prescription drug orders in accordance with agency formulary and policy and procedures. Provide direct patient care services, including management of acute or chronic conditions, for selected patients when medications are the primary method of treatment. Exercises independent judgment in reviewing patient prescription orders for appropriateness, including drug-drug, drug-disease, and drug-allergy contraindications and precautions. Judgmental failure could seriously affect the health status of one or more individuals.
Provides pharmaceutical care services, including drug information, medication therapy consultation, and advice to other health professionals on complex patient problems, at the highest level of independence; utilizes extensive knowledge base and flexibility to adapt to unusual circumstances requiring variations in approach, and in the presence of incomplete or conflicting data.
Provide medication counseling and information services directly to patients to ensure that they understand their medications, how to take them, and appropriate outcomes of their drug therapies.
Manages pharmaceutical inventory, including maintaining appropriate quantities and temperature requirements and replenishing after-hours and emergency stock, in accordance with IHSC policies and procedures. Conducts monthly inventories of all controlled substances and inspects all clinic areas where pharmaceuticals are stored.
Collaborates with contacts within the Department on a routine basis to coordinate medical care services for patients, as well as to develop and implement processes to improve public and population health.
Participates in ongoing quality assurance and performance improvement activities including audits, chart reviews, and development of review criteria.
Participates as an active member in one or more institutional committees which may include Pharmacy and Therapeutics, Infection Prevention, Critical Care, or others as designated.
On a monthly basis, reports pharmacy workload and expense information, including accomplishments, problems and measures taken for resolution, meetings attended, and facilities visited to the local H.S.A, the respective Regional Chief Pharmacist, and the IHSC Chief Pharmacist.
Performs other duties as assigned.

Requirements

Conditions of employment

You must be a U.S. citizen to apply for this position.
You must successfully pass a background investigation.
You must successfully pass a drug screen.
Males born after 12/31/59 must certify registration with Selective Service.
Requirements by Closing Date: Unless otherwise noted, you must meet all requirements by the closing date of the announcement.
Service Remaining Requirement Agreement: Upon appointment to this position, officers will be required to serve an 18 to 24-month commitment to IHSC.
ASSIGNMENT PAY AGREEMENT: You must not have a current Assignment Pay Agreement. However, if you have a current Assignment Pay Agreement, it must be fulfilled within 90 days of your application submission.
Applicants must be a current USPHS Commissioned Corps Officer. USPHS Call to Active Duty (CAD) candidates are not eligible for this position. Civilians are not eligible for this position.
PHS officers must participate in IHSC TDY On-Call Schedule (ITOS.) ITOS is either an entire month or two 16-day periods a year where, depending on the needs of the agency, the officer is required to be available to serve.

Qualifications

PHYSICAL DEMANDS:

The position is located in a hazardous duty environment.
Required to walk unaided at a normal pace for up to 5 minutes and maintain balance.
Required to jog/fast walk up to ¼ mile.
Required to perform CPR/emergency care standing or kneeling.
Must have the ability to assist sick, injured or aging patients or staff exiting the building (may require lifting, dragging, wheeling or carrying someone who weighs significantly more than oneself).
Must be able to see, hear and smell with aids if necessary.
Must easily alternate between kneeling and standing.
Must be able to lift, push, or carry 30 pounds.
Must perform the duties of my job in a stressful and often austere environment without physical limitations.

Education

REQUIRED KNOWLEDGE, SKILLS, AND ABILITIES:

B.S. degree in Pharmacy and ten years of professional experience as a pharmacist or PharmD. degree and five years of professional experience as a pharmacist. Degree must be from a program that is accredited by the American Council on Pharmaceutical Education.
Candidates must have a permanent, full, and unrestricted license to practice pharmacy in a State, District of Columbia, the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico, or a territory of the United States.
Expertise in pharmacology, pharmaceutics, pharmacokinetics and all management aspects related to the practice of pharmacy in a clinic/infirmary setting.
Possesses necessary skills for operating general office technology including Microsoft Office products.
Possess knowledge of grammar, spelling & punctuation to identify and correct errors to ensure accurate copy.
Possesses knowledge of and is competent in understanding and communicating pharmaceutical nomenclature including generic, chemical & trade names, Latin abbreviations, dosage forms, drug strengths, formulations & English-Metric equivalents.
Competent in data entry and ability to work with & analyze numbers, including bookkeeping & basic accounting skills.
Competent in the use of office machines including photocopiers, calculators, and personal computers.
Competent in the application of computer programs to facilitate management operations in a clinic environment.
Maintains CPR/BLS certification
Possesses ability to work efficiently, accurately & organized in a fast-paced environment.

Additional information

This is a U.S. Public Health Service position within the Department of Homeland Security (DHS), Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE), Enforcement and Removal Operations (ERO), ICE Health Service Corps (IHSC), Clinical Services Division, Medical Services Unit. This is a supervisory position.

Incumbent serves as the supervisory lead pharmacist and is responsible for the provision of a full range of pharmacy services at the assigned facility as well as all supervisory and management responsibilities related to the operation of the pharmacy policies and procedures as stated in the ICE Health Service Corps (IHSC) Pharmaceutical Services and Medication Management Directive and Guide. Incumbent serves as the local subject-matter-expert expert on pharmaceutical care and pharmaceutical delivery systems and collaborates with local and regional clinical and administrative leadership to inform and develop local policies and procedures.

IHSC provides direct care daily to approximately 15,300 non-citizens housed at 20 designated facilities throughout the nation. The health care provided includes medical, dental and mental health care, and public health services. IHSC provides medical case management and oversight for an additional 22,600 non-citizens housed at approximately 112 non-IHSC staffed detention facilities daily across the country. In addition, IHSC oversees the financial authorization and payment for off-site specialty and emergency care services for non-citizens in ICE custody. The ICE non-citizen population is approximately 34,000 non-citizens on a daily basis, with an average length of stay of approximately 30 days, surpassing 400,000 non-citizens annually. IHSC provides medical support during ICE enforcement operations in the air, on the ground and at sea.

SUPERVISORY CONTROLS:
The Supervisory Lead Pharmacist works under the direction of the Clinical Director (CD). Assignments of a professional nature are long-term and broadly defined in terms of objectives, priorities, and deadlines. Completed work is only periodically evaluated for technical soundness, appropriateness, and conformity to professional standards and PHS requirements. Procedures for performing some work are established, but the incumbent has significant independence to implement changes to benefit facility operations and detainee health. In cases where IHSC policies and guides are non-specific, the incumbent is required to exercise judgment in the selection and application of appropriate guidelines and originality in developing appropriate solutions.

Candidates should be committed to improving the efficiency of the Federal government, passionate about the ideals of our American republic, and committed to upholding the rule of law and the United States Constitution.

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.

We will review your resume and supporting documentation to ensure you meet the minimum qualification requirements. You may be selected for an interview at the hiring authority's discretion. You will be notified of selection or non-selection.

Required Documents

To apply for this position, you must provide a complete Application Package. Please note that if you do not provide all required information, as specified in this announcement, you may not be considered for this position.A complete application includes:

U. S. Public Health Service Officers

Cover Letter/Letter of Interest.
Degrees. (Place under "Diploma/GED")
Professional license. (If applicable)
Additional professional certificates. (If applicable)
Three professional references. (i.e., name, title and contact information)
Official USPHS Promotion CV - e.g., relevant experience, education, training. (Place under "USPHS Promotion CV")
- You may provide a civilian resume in addition to the USPHS Promotion CV to capture all relevant work experience.
A copy of your Certificate of Investigation (located in your eOPF).
*Three most recent Commissioned Officer Effectiveness Reports (COER). (Place under "Performance Appraisal")
For current IHSC PHS officers, IHSC Recruiting requires applicants to provide a copy of your current Service Remaining Requirements Agreement.
Indicate if you have an Assignment Pay (AP) Agreement and the date of the end of your AP Agreement. If you do not, please submit a memo attesting to no AP in the Assignment Pay (AP) Agreement section in the documents section of 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

To apply for this position, you must submit the required documentation outlined under the REQUIRED DOCUMENTS section below.

The complete initial Application must be submitted by 11:59 PM (EST) on 09/30/2026.

PLEASE NOTE: If your materials are not received by the closing date, your application will be evaluated solely on the information available and you may not receive full consideration or may not be considered eligible. Also, if you do not provide a valid email address, you may not be notified of the outcome of your application.

To begin the process, click the Apply Online button to create an account or log into your existing USAJOBS account. Follow the prompts to complete the occupational questionnaire. Please ensure you click the Submit My Answers button at the end of the process.

Note: To check the status of your application or return to a previous or incomplete application, log into your USAJOBS account, select Application Status, and click on the more information link under the application status for this position.

Applications and supporting documentation will not be accepted by mail or email. If you need further assistance, contact the Human Resources Office representative listed on this announcement at least one day prior to the closing date for further instructions.

Agency contact information

IHSC Recruiting

Email: IHSCrecruiting@ice.dhs.gov

Address: ERO-DRO-IHSC Public Health Service
500 12th Street SW
Washington, DC 20536
US

Next steps

Once you submit your application, we will assess your experience and training, identify the best-qualified applicants, and refer those applications to the hiring manager for further consideration and interviews. We will notify you by email after each of these steps has been completed. Your status will also be updated on USAJOBS throughout the process. To check your status, log on to your USAJOBS account, click on "Application Status," and then click "More Information." We expect to make a job offer within 60 days after the deadline for applications. If you are selected, we will conduct a suitability/security background investigation. View more information on applying for federal employment.

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