Summary
The Primary Purpose of the Position is: To accomplish all duties related to processing, preparing, and packaging medications and medical supplies for pick-up and mail, stocking, delivering, inventory, inspections, assembling clinic orders, prescription assembly, controlled substances distribution, and any other function related to pharmaceutical practices for outpatient care areas.
This job is open to
The public
U.S. Citizens, Nationals or those who owe allegiance to the U.S.
Federal employees - Competitive service
Current federal employees whose agencies follow the U.S. Office of Personnel Management's hiring rules and pay scales.
Federal employees - Excepted service
Current federal employees whose agencies have their own hiring rules, pay scales and evaluation criteria.
Internal to an agency
Current federal employees of the hiring agency that posted the job announcement.
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 job is open to current permanent Department of Veteran Affairs employees, current permanent Federal employees of other agencies, and all US Citizens.
Duties
VA Careers - Pharmacy: https://youtube.com/embed/Fn_ickNBEws
Total Rewards of a Allied Health Professional
Duties are but not limited to:
Pharmaceutical Care:
- Interpret, fill, prepare, and package prescriptions and medical supplies for pharmacist verification.
- Dispense medications after pharmacist verification.
- Answer drug distribution questions and provide basic patient education (e.g., refill process).
- Maintain proper storage, inventory, and removal of outdated medications.
- Monitor refrigerator/freezer temperatures and reconstitute medications with accurate calculations.
- Operate, stock, and troubleshoot automated dispensing systems (Omnicell, ScriptPro, Parata).
- Process returned postal packages according to guidelines.
Prescription Fulfillment:
- Correctly assemble prescriptions with proper drug, strength, quantity, and labels.
- Use barcode scanning for accuracy in filling medications.
- Support manual filling when automation is not used.
- Complete prescriptions in a timely manner.
- Verify patient identity and prescription accuracy at pickup.
- Package and process mailed prescriptions, including refrigerated items, using USPS/FedEx/UPS.
- Update patient information, generate shipping reports, and resolve mailing issues.
Ward and Clinic Stock Management:
- Inventory and replenish ward/clinic stock at main and satellite locations.
- Use usage reports to determine proper stock levels.
- Fill medications for wards/clinics and ensure proper storage conditions.
- Inspect hospital areas, remove expired drugs, and ensure compliance with storage standards.
Controlled Substances Activities:
- Maintain vault duties and document all controlled substance transactions per VA/DEA rules.
- Safeguard controlled substances, resolve discrepancies, and coordinate handoffs.
- Restock automated controlled-substance cabinets and verify inventory counts.
- Follow all laws and policies regarding storage, transfer, dispensing, and accountability.
Administrative / Education / Training:
- Maintain clean, organized workspaces.
- Train new technicians, interns, and students.
- Perform duties across various technician levels as needed.
- Use VistA, EHR, and related systems for administrative processing.
- Enter and process prescription requests and renewals, including controlled substances.
- Participate in performance and quality improvement initiatives.
- Complete mandatory national, VISN, and local training.
Communication:
- Maintain effective working relationships with providers, nursing, pharmacy staff, and others.
- Support VISN Clinical Contact Center activities (calls, secure messaging, chat, text, video).
- Provide patient assistance with refills, renewals, tracking, and pharmacy procedures.
- Document patient interactions in appropriate systems.
- Communicate professionally to ensure positive customer experience.
Work Schedule: Monday-Friday (8:00 AM-4:30 PM or 8:30AM-5:00 PM); Tour may be further adjusted or extended (including holiday/weekend) to meet patient care needs.
Recruitment/Relocation Incentives (Sign-on Bonus): Not Authorized
Pay: Competitive salary and regular salary increases. When setting pay, a higher step rate of the appropriate grade may be determined after consideration of higher or unique qualifications or special needs of the VA (Above Minimum Rate of the Grade).
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)
Telework: Not Available
Virtual: This is not a virtual position.
Functional Statement #: 51415
Permanent Change of Station (PCS): 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.
- 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
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)
-
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).
-
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).
GS-07: Experience: Candidates must possess one year of experience equivalent to the next lower grade level (GS-06).
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.
Preferred Experience:
- Minimum of 1-year previous outpatient pharmacy experience.
- Experience with pharmacy automation (ScriptPro, Omnicell, ScriptCenter).
- Knowledge and experience with pharmacy information/operating system.
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-07.
Physical Requirements: Moderate lifting: (15-44 pounds); Moderate Carrying (15-44 pounds); Straight Pulling (less than 30 minutes); Pushing (less than 30 minutes); Reaching above shoulder; Use of fingers; Both hands required; Walking (up to 6 hours); Standing (up to 6 hours); Repeated bending (up to 1 hour); Ability for rapid mental and muscular coordination simultaneously; Near vision correctable at 13" to 16"; Hearing (aid permitted).
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: https://sites.ed.gov/international/recognition-of-foreign-qualifications/.
Additional information
Receiving Service Credit for Earning Annual (Vacation) Leave: Federal Employees earn annual leave at a rate (4, 6 or 8 hours per pay period) which is based on the number of years they have served as a Federal employee. Selected applicants may qualify for credit toward annual leave accrual, based on prior work experience or military service experience. This credited service can be used in determining the rate at which they earn annual leave. Such credit must be requested and approved prior to the appointment date and is not guaranteed.
During the application process you may have an option to opt-in to make your resume available to hiring managers in the agency who have similar positions. Opting in does not impact your application for this announcement, nor does it guarantee further consideration for additional positions.
This job opportunity announcement may be used to fill additional vacancies.
This position is in the Excepted Service and does not confer competitive status.
VA encourages persons with disabilities to apply. The health-related positions in VA are covered by Title 38, and are not covered by the Schedule A excepted appointment authority.
If you are unable to apply online or need an alternate method to submit documents, please reach out to the Agency Contact listed in this Job Opportunity Announcement.
Under the Fair Chance to Compete Act, the Department of Veterans Affairs prohibits requesting an applicant's criminal history prior to accepting a tentative job offer. For more information about the Act and the complaint process, visit Human Resources and Administration/Operations, Security, and Preparedness (HRA/OSP) at The Fair Chance Act.
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.
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.
Area of Consideration- Eligible applications will be reviewed and referred in the following order:
1. Current permanent VA employees of the facility.
2. All other VA employees.
3. Current permanent Federal employees of other agencies.
4. All other applicants.
Note: Veterans' Preference is not applicable to VA employees or employees of other Federal agencies.
Required Documents
To apply for this position, you must provide a complete Application Package which includes:
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 (Schedule A)
- Disability Letter (VA)
- License
- Extended Resume
- PCS Orders
- Performance Appraisal
- Professional Certification
- Resume
- Separation Notice (RIF)
- SF-15
- SF-50/ Notification of Personnel Action
- Transcript
Note: 38 U.S.C. 7412 waives the requirement to apply Veterans preference to external applicants for appointments made from this announcement.
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 (ET) on 08/24/2026 to receive consideration. To preview the questionnaire click https://apply.usastaffing.gov/ViewQuestionnaire/13037251.
- 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.
- 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.
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.