Clarification from the agency

NOTE: The 2-page Resume requirement does not apply to this position. For more information, refer to Required Documents below. This announcement is open to current, permanent employees of the Black Hills VA Health Care System.

Duties include, but are not limited to:

Medication Distribution System
1) Reads and interprets prescriptions from the Veteran electronic health record (EHR) or in written format.
2) Reviews prescription orders for technical accuracy.
3) Prepares medications and ensures the orderable item matches the item being dispensed with regard to drug, strength, quantity, or appropriate supply item.
4) Dispenses medications following all regulations, policies, and procedures for safe medication distribution.
5) Uses automation (ie. ScriptPro) to fill, label and batch medications.
6) Executes contingency plans to maintain operations during outages.
7) Maintains highly sophisticated pharmacy equipment. This includes cleaning procedures and maintenance of ScriptPro and other counting machines. Troubleshoots equipment and databases when needed.
8) Assists with automated or manual inventory processes that include but are not limited to inventory counts, medication ordering, stocking, check and appropriately manage expired and nearly expiring medications, pulling recalled medications, or any other activity related to the supply of medications.
9) Accurately interprets EHR patient medication profiles. Can confirm prescription information in the pharmacy computer packages. Able to execute refills or other technician duties within the pharmacy software.
10) Accurately updates patient information in the many pharmacy software packages.
11) Accurately enters notes into the EHR using pharmacy templates or blank forms.
12) Communicates with procurement staff to effectively facilitate acquisition of medications.
13) Assists pharmacy management team in data tracking and reporting as assigned.
14) Prioritizes workload to complete assignments on time.
15) Maintains a safe orderly and clean working environment.
16) Ensures all look alike, sound alike, high alert and refrigerated medications are stored properly according to manufacturer's recommendations and National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH) requirement.
17) Maintains adaptability and flexibility for various emerging roles and responsibilities in the medication distribution system including new equipment, assignments, and changes in pharmacy workflow.
18) Accurately mails medications in accordance with pharmacy procedures.
19) Assists with other medication distribution activities as directed by pharmacist, supervisor or as delineated as part of the shift responsibility.

Pharmacy Phone System
1) Able to use the current facility phone system.
2) Maintains appropriate phone etiquette and professionalism.
3) Accurately collects and clarifies patient information.
4) Capable of triaging patient information to identify basic therapeutic, distributive, or medication related problems.
5) Understands when to alert pharmacists for problems.
6) Communicates information accurately in the EHR or other formats.
7) Completes calls and as needed follow up in a timely manner.

Medication Management System
1) Assists the pharmacist with problem solving patient care or medication issues.
2) Assists in quality improvement projects as an individual or on assigned teams to improve pharmacy service.
3) Assists to complete required pharmacy reporting obligations as directed.
4) Maintains physical security of the pharmacy and the security of electronic records.
5) Comprehends and consistently practices under Pharmacy Guidance Documents, Standard Operating Procedures (SOP) and Policies for general operations and inspections.
6) Utilizes appropriate waste streams for returned medications and medications to be destroyed.

Controlled Substances (CS)
1) Fills inpatient and outpatient CS medications in accordance with description provided in the medication distribution section.
2) Accurately maintains a perpetual inventory and performs a complete inventory per VHA directive.
3) Able to run necessary controlled substance reports and reconcile as appropriate.
4) Ensures access to CS vault are limited to the appropriate staff.
5) Matches hardcopy prescriptions to prescription labels according to current federal and state requirements in a timely fashion.
6) Monitors prescription orders for dispensing accuracy and communicates potential problems to supervisor.
7) Maintains appropriate records in accordance with VHA directive.
8) Assists controlled substance inspectors as needed.
9) Performs equipment maintenance as directed.

Work Schedule: Full-time; Monday-Friday, 730am to 415pm
Telework: Not available
Virtual: This is not a virtual position.
Functional Statement #: 000000
Relocation/Recruitment Incentives: Not authorized
Permanent Change of Station (PCS): Not authorized

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 dentification 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

All requirements must be met by the close date of this announcement, 03/19/2026.

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.
• 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).

• 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).

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:

GS-7 Pharmacy Technician
Experience: Candidates must possess one year of experience equivalent to the next lower grade level, GS-6.
AND
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.
AND
Knowledge, Skills and Abilities (KSAs): In addition to the experience above, the candidate must demonstrate all of the following KSAs:
(a) Knowledge of pharmacy technician principles, practices, concepts and theories providing for sound independent work.
(b) Knowledge of the computerized prescription process and input of prescriptions and medication orders or electronic equivalent.
(c) Ability to resolve pharmacy/medication issues with other members of the healthcare team, Veterans and external customers.
(d) Ability to train developmental pharmacy technicians and students.
(e) Ability to dispense medication or sterile products following all regulations, policies and procedures to ensure safe medication distribution.
(f) Ability to troubleshoot automated dispensing equipment (ADE) or technology platforms/databases.

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-7.

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.

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.

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:

• PTCB as a CPhT OR NHA as a ExCPT
• 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
• Other (1)
• PTCB as a CPhT OR NHA as a ExCPT
• Recommended: Write to Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities (KSAs) - See "Qualifications" section of announcement
• Performance Appraisal
• Professional Certification
• Resume
• SF-50/ Notification of Personnel Action
• Transcript

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