Clarification from the agency

This job is open to current permanent employees of the Nebraska Western-Iowa VA Health Care System.

Major duties include but are not limited to the following:

• Automation: The Pharmacy Technician coordinates the technical aspects of pharmacy drug distribution activities to ensure standard operating procedures are in alignment with automation capabilities and pharmacy efficiency is maximized. Activities include:
  • Instrumental in recommending changes for the improvement of the workflow, work methods, and priorities involved within the drug distribution system.
  • Evaluates and analyzes workflow and coordinates all work activities involved with pharmacy automation throughout the facility and associated CBOCs. This involves trouble shooting, regularly gathering, analyzing, and interpreting VA data and formulating action plans.
  • Ensures automated dispensing data is archived within established guidelines for each type of equipment throughout the main facility and in offsite locations as well.
  • Resolves problems and complaints regarding pharmacy automated dispensing equipment, troubleshoots problems with equipment, and alerts appropriate personnel when equipment or production is compromised.
  • Has oversight responsibility for the user files of all dispensing systems as well as responsibility for the addition of new items and deletion of obsolete items from all automated dispensing systems.
  • Provides data for operational reports including workload, quality assurance, cost distribution, and process improvement projects to appropriate supervisors.
  • Ensures all equipment is cleaned and maintained to minimize downtime and responsible for fiscal aspects of pharmacy automated equipment including reconciling hardware and software with billing, general management, repairs, and warranties.
  • Understands VA Pharmacy procurement and formulary requirements, investigational drug policies and procedures, and controlled substance policies and procedures.
  • Completes procurement duties which include monitoring and managing all automation cabinet physical inventory.
• Program Management: The Automation Pharmacy Technician performs a wide variety of administrative, management, and coordinating duties in support of pharmacy programs. Activities include:
  • Ensures that the organization's strategic plan, mission, vision, and values are communicated to the team and integrated into the team's strategies, goals, objectives, work plans, work products, and services.
  • Ensures that all team members participate in planning for achievement of team goals. Applies a wide range of qualitative and/or quantitative methods to identify, assess, analyze, and improve team effectiveness, efficiency, and work products.
  • Develops training programs and materials for orientation. Trains or coordinates training for pharmacy staff, controlled substance inspectors, and other medical center staff involved in automation.
  • Leads the team in identifying, distributing, and balancing workload and tasks among members in accordance with established priorities, workflow, skill level, and/or specialized occupation.
• Pharmacy Dispensing/Distribution Services: The Automation Pharmacy Technician will be involved in assuring appropriate, safe, and accurate medications are dispensed to veterans in an efficient manner. They will provide a range of medication management and administrative services. Activities include:
  • Serving as backup to other pharmacy technicians in the inpatient pharmacy setting.
  • Assists as deemed necessary by pharmacy management, in any patient care area to maintain the consistency of overall pharmacy services.
• Education: Assists in the training of pharmacy employees, pharmacy residents, Pharm.D. students, and pharmacy technician students.

Total Rewards of a Allied Health Professional
Work Schedule: Monday-Friday 7:00am-3:30pm, some weekends and holidays
Recruitment Incentive (Sign-on Bonus): Not Authorized
Permanent Change of Station (Relocation Assistance): Not Authorized
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).
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)
Telework: Not Eligible
Virtual: This is not a virtual position.
Functional Statement #: 000000
Permanent Change of Station (PCS): Not Authorized
PCS Appraised Value Offer (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.
• NOTE: The 2-page Resume requirement does not apply to this position. For more information, refer to Required Documents below.
• 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.
• Must pass pre-employment physical examination.
• Must posses a valid driver's license
• 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

Basic Requirements:

• United States Citizenship: Non-citizens may only be appointed when it is not possible to recruit qualified citizens in accordance with VA Policy.
• English Language Proficiency: Pharmacy Technician candidates must be proficient in spoken and written English to be appointed as authorized by 38 U.S.C. § 7403(f).
• Education or Experience:
  • None required.
  • 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:
  • Pharmacy Technician Certification Board (PTCB), Certified Pharmacy Technician (CPhT). OR
  • National Healthcareer Association (NHA), Certified Pharmacy Technician (ExCPT).

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).

Grade Determinations:

Pharmacy Technician, GS-08:

• Experience: Candidates must possess one year of experience equivalent to the next lower grade level (GS-7) and demonstrate the KSAs below.
  • GS-7 Level experience includes: Knowledge of pharmacy technician principles, practices, concepts and theories providing for sound independent work. Knowledge of the computerized prescription process and input of prescriptions and medication orders or electronic equivalent. Ability to resolve pharmacy/medication issues with other members of the healthcare team, Veterans and external customers. Ability to train developmental pharmacy technicians and students. Ability to dispense medication or sterile products following all regulations, policies and procedures to ensure safe medication distribution. Ability to troubleshoot automated dispensing equipment (ADE) or technology platforms/databases.
• Certification: For positions above the full performance level, the employee must pass a national certification exam and hold an active national certification through either: P
  • PTCB as a CPhT. OR
  • 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-08.
  • 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:

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. The actual grade at which an applicant may be selected for this vacancy is GS-8.

Physical Requirements: You will be asked to participate in a pre-employment examination or evaluation as part of the pre-employment process for this position. Questions about physical demands or environmental factors may be addressed at the time of evaluation or examination

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.

This job is open to current permanent employees of the Nebraska Western-Iowa VA Health Care System. Only current employees of this healthcare system will be referred.

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
• SF-50/ Notification of Personnel Action

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/CV may be uploaded without page limitation into the 'Other' document upload field.

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
• Knowledge, Skills and Abilities Document - can be found under qualification section of announcement
• Resume/CV exceeding two-pages
• Performance Appraisal
• Professional Certification
• Resume
• SF-15
• SF-50/ Notification of Personnel Action
• Transcript

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