Clarification from the agency

NOTE: The 2-page Resume requirement does not apply to this position. For more information, refer to Required Documents below. Open to all US Citizens. If you are a Current permanent VA employee, future, current, past Health Professional Trainees or other Federal Employees, please apply to the internal announcement: CBSU-12972107-26-JMS Veterans' preference does NOT apply for this announcement

This job is also open in another announcement to:

Federal employees - Competitive service

Federal employees - Excepted service

Internal to an agency

The following duties for the Pharmacy Technician, include, but are not limited to:

• Reads & interprets prescriptions from the pharmacy automation and the electronic health record.
• Reviews prescription orders for technical accuracy.
• Prepares medications & ensures orderable item matches item being dispensed w/ regard to drug, strength, quantity or appropriate supply item.
• Uses Optifill to batch & label outpatient medications.
• .Maintains highly sophisticated pharmacy equipment
  • includes cleaning procedures & maintenance of Optifill, TCGRx, ScriptTalk, Kirby Lester counting machines and office equipment like printers.
• Assists inventory processes that include but are not limited to inventory counts, medication ordering, stocking, checking for outdates, pulling outdates, pulling recalled medication, med room inspections, or any other activity related to VA medication supply
• Accurately interprets the electronic health record.
• Is able to confirm prescription information in pharmacy automation software.
• Able to execute refills or other technician duties within the VA electronic health record.
• Accurately enters/updates patient information in in the VA electronic health record.
• Accurately enters notes into the electronic health record using pharmacy templates/blank forms.
• Comprehends & participates in procurement activities, inventory management, narcotic dispensing, mental health programs, secure messaging, overnight mail, partial fills, window dispensing, administrative reports, prescription review, incident reports, etc.
• Prioritizes workload to work by assigned deadlines.
• Able to work in an organized manner & maintains clean workstation.
• Maintains adaptability & flexibility for various emerging roles/responsibilities in medication distribution system;
  • Important w/ regard to new equipment, assignments, & changes in pharmacy workflow.
• Maintains appropriate phone etiquette & professionalism.
• Able to work independently.
• Accurately collects & clarifies patient information.
• Capable of synthesizing patient information to identify basic therapeutic, distributive/medication related problems.
• Understands when to alert/ask pharmacists for clarification/assistance.
• Communicates information accurately.
• Fills medication "to be mailed" according to description provided in medication distribution section.
• Ensures prescription label matches mailing label & maintains accuracy in other software/paper systems.
• Able to transport mail containers to pickup destinations, restock supplies, lift mail bags/containers.
• Assists w/other medication distribution activities as directed.
• Fills controlled substance (CS) medication according to description provided in medication distribution section.
• Matches hardcopy prescriptions to prescription labels according to current federal/state requirements.
• Monitors prescription orders for dispensing accuracy & communicates potential problems to supervisor.
• Performs equipment maintenance as directed.
• Able to clean the CS area/others as needed.
• Medication Management System: i.e. Assists the pharmacist w/ problem solving, patient care/medication issues.
• Assists in quality improvement projects on an individual/team basis to improve pharmacy service.
• Assists to complete required pharmacy reporting obligations.
• Maintains pharmacy security;
  • includes pharmacy physical security & electronic records security.
• Maintains accountability for tour of duty;
  • includes being on time & ready at the start of shift, & returning on time from lunch/breaks/meetings/activities, etc.
• Performs other duties as assigned.

Total Rewards of a Allied Health Professional

Work Schedule: Monday through Friday 6:00- 2:30, 7:00-3:30 or rotating based on needs of the service. Some holidays will be required
Pay: Competitive salary and regular salary increases
Paid Time Off: 37-50 days of annual paid time offer per year (13-26 days of annual leave, 13 days of sick leave, 11 paid Federal holidays per year)
Selected applicants may qualify for credit toward annual leave accrual, based on prior [work experience] or military service experience.
Parental Leave: After 12 months of employment, up to 12 weeks of paid parental leave in connection with the birth, adoption, or foster care placement of a child.
Child Care Subsidy: After 60 days of employment, full time employees with a total family income below $144,000 may be eligible for a childcare subsidy up to 25% of total eligible childcare costs for eligible children up to the monthly maximum of $416.66.
Retirement: Traditional federal pension (5 years vesting) and federal 401K with up to 5% in contributions by VA
Insurance: Federal health/vision/dental/term life/long-term care (many federal insurance programs can be carried into retirement)
Functional Statement #: 59033-A

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.
• 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 identification cards that are not REAL ID compliant cannot be utilized as an acceptable form of identification for employment.
• Participation in the seasonal influenza vaccination program is a requirement for all Department of Veterans Affairs Health Care Personnel (HCP).
• Complete all application requirements detailed in the "Required Documents" section of this announcement.

As a condition of employment for accepting this position, you will be required to serve a 1 or 2-year trial period during which we will evaluate your fitness and whether your continued employment advances the public interest. In determining if your employment advances the public interest, we may consider:

• your performance and conduct;
• the needs and interests of the agency;
• whether your continued employment would advance organizational goals of the agency or the Government; and
• whether your continued employment would advance the efficiency of the Federal service.

Upon completion of your trial period, your employment will be terminated unless you receive certification, in writing, that your continued employment advances the public interest.

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.
Citizenship: Be a citizen of the United States. Non-citizens may be appointed when it is not possible to recruit qualified citizens in accordance with 38 U.S.C. § 7407(a).
Education or Experience:

1. None required.
2. For all grade levels and positions that accept both education and experience to qualify, equivalent combinations of qualifying education and experience that total at least 100% are qualifying. The combined percentage is determined by adding total qualifying experience as a percentage of the experience required for the grade level to the education as a percentage of the education required for the grade level.

Certification: For positions above the full performance level, the employee must pass a national certification exam and hold an active national certification through either:
(1) Pharmacy Technician Certification Board (PTCB), Certified Pharmacy Technician (CPhT).
OR
(2) National Healthcareer Association (NHA), Certified Pharmacy Technician (ExCPT).
Grandfathering Provision: Pharmacy technicians employed in VHA 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 in this standard, but who met the qualifications applicable to the position at the time they were appointed to it, the following provisions apply:

1. Employees may be reassigned, promoted up to and including the full performance (journey) level or changed to lower grade within the occupation but may not be promoted beyond the journeyman level or placed in supervisory or managerial positions.
2. Employees in an occupation that requires a licensure/certification/ registration only at higher grade levels must meet the licensure/ certification/registration requirement before they can be promoted to those higher grade levels.
3. Employees who are appointed on a temporary basis prior to the effective date of the qualification standard may not have their temporary appointment extended or be reappointed on a temporary or permanent basis until they fully meet the basic requirements of the standard.
4. Employees who are converted to title 38 hybrid status under this provision and subsequently leave the occupation lose protected status and must meet the full VA qualification standard requirements in effect at the time of re-entry to the occupation.
5. Employees initially grandfathered into this occupation who subsequently obtain additional education and/or licensure/certification/registration that meet all the basic requirements of this qualification standard must maintain the required credentials as a condition of employment in the occupation.

Foreign Education: To be creditable, education completed outside the U.S. must be deemed at least equivalent to that gained in a conventional U.S. program by a private organization specializing in the interpretation of foreign educational credentials.
English Language Proficiency: Pharmacy Technician candidates must be proficient in spoken and written English to be appointed as authorized by38 U.S.C. § 7403(f).
GS-8 Grade Determination requirements:
Experience: Candidates must possess one year of experience equivalent to the next lower grade level and demonstrate the KSAs below.
Certification: For positions above the full performance level, the employee must pass a national certification exam and hold an active national certification through either:
(a)PTCB as a CPhT.
OR
(b)NHA as a ExCPT.
Knowledge, Skills and Abilities (KSAs): In addition to the experience above, the candidate must demonstrate the following KSAs for all GS-08assignments and meet any additional KSAs for the assignment, if indicated:

• Comprehensive knowledge of concepts, principles, methodology and policies in a specialized area or section of pharmacy (such as sterile compounding, controlled substances, automation, clinical pharmacy, contact center, etc.) Note: See Specialized Area.in the Definitions Section.
• Skill in training and orienting new and existing pharmacy facility employees and students on proper policies and procedures.
• Ability to evaluate, analyze and coordinate workflow and work activities within a specialized area or section of the pharmacy

Assignments: For all assignments above the full performance level, the higher-level duties must consist of significant scope, complexity and range of variety and be performed by the incumbent at least 25% of the time. Pharmacy technicians at this level have a higher level of responsibility for specialized areas of pharmacy and are expected to independently carry out assigned tasks of considerable difficulty. Pharmacy technicians at this grade level may be appointed to one of the following assignments:
Pharmacy Technician:
For all assignments above the full performance level, the higher-level duties must consist of significant scope, complexity and range of variety and be performed by the incumbent at least 25% of the time. Pharmacy technicians at this level are nationally certified and can work autonomously using independent judgement to perform a full range of duties. These pharmacy technicians mentor and train lower graded pharmacy technicians in the practice setting. They assist advanced/specialized pharmacy technicians and participate in performance improvement initiatives. At this level, pharmacy technicians use independent judgement to perform the full range of duties in the pharmacy. They also function as staff pharmacy technicians in various locations of the pharmacy, including pharmacy contact centers and other non-traditional pharmacy locations, with minimal oversight.
Additional Knowledge, Skills and Abilities (KSAs):

• Comprehensive knowledge of concepts, principles, methodology and policies in a specialized area or section of pharmacy (such as sterile compounding, controlled substances, automation, clinical pharmacy, contact center, etc.) Note: See Specialized Area.in the Definitions Section.
• Skill in training and orienting new and existing pharmacy facility employees and students on proper policies and procedures.
• Ability to evaluate, analyze and coordinate workflow and work activities within a specialized area or section of the pharmacy.

Preferred Experience:

1. Microsoft Excel
2. Controlled substance inventory/dispensing
3. Mckesson or like Prime Vendor functions
4. Inventory Management
5. Data entry

Reference: For more information on this qualification standard, please visit https://www.va.gov/ohrm/QualificationStandards/.
The full performance level of this vacancy is GS-8.
Physical Requirements: See VA Directive and Handbook 5019, Employee Occupational Health Service.

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.

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

• Resume / Curriculum Vitae
• Professional Certification
• Resume

Special Note for Applications: To complete your application, please use the following link https://vacareers.va.gov/wp-content/uploads/sites/5/Resume.docx to download the standard Clinical Resume Document. This one-page document does not need to be modified and must be uploaded into the two-page restricted 'Resume' document upload field.

your full Resume/Curriculum Vitae may be uploaded without page limitation into the "Other" document upload field" Your resume/CV must include the following information for each job listed (a determination may not be able to be made if these items are missing):

• Job title and Duties
• Month & year, start/end dated (e.g. June 2020 to April 2021)
• Full-time or part-time status (include hours worked per week)
• Series and Grade, if applicable

The following documents are accepted, and may be required if applicable to your eligibility and/or qualifications for this position. Please ensure you have included all documents required for your application, such as a copy of your transcript (if using education to qualify), SF-50's (current/former Federal employees), etc.

• Cover Letter
• DD-214/ Statement of Service
• Disability Letter (VA)
• License
• Resume / Curriculum Vitae
• Professional Certification
• Resume
• Separation Notice (RIF)
• SF-15
• SF-50/ Notification of Personnel Action
• Transcript

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