Requirements
Conditions of employment
Selectee may be subject to a probationary period
U.S. Citizenship is required
Selective Service Registration is required for males born after 12/31/1959
This is a designated position covered by Public Law 101-630, requiring contact or control over Indian children. Due to this requirement, the agency must ensure that persons hired for these positions have not been found guilty of or pleaded nolo contendere or guilty to certain crimes.
A one-year supervisory/managerial probationary period may be required upon selection/placement.
Successfully pass the E-Verify employment verification check. To learn more about E-Verify, including your rights and responsibilities, visit www.dhs.gov/E-Verify/.
You will need to set up direct deposit so we can pay you.
Background Investigation:
If you are selected for this vacancy, you must undergo a pre-employment fingerprint check and background investigation. Fingerprint results and background investigation documentation must be cleared prior to hire. After you begin your employment, your continued employment is contingent upon the outcome of a complete background investigation as determined by the sensitivity level of your position. The investigation must find that you are suitable for Federal employment in your position. If you are found not suitable, you will be terminated after you begin work. If you make a false statement in any part of your application, you may not be hired; you may be fired after you begin work; or subject to possible criminal charges. You may be subject to a credit check as a part of the background investigation process.
Financial Suitability Requirement:
This position requires a review of the applicant's financial history as part of the personnel security and suitability determination. Applicants must demonstrate financial responsibility, maintain good standing with creditors, and satisfy all legal financial obligations prior to applying. Individuals with substantial delinquent or unresolved financial obligations-including, but not limited to, delinquent federal or state tax liabilities, defaulted federal student loans, court-ordered fines or fees, or child support arrears-may be deemed unsuitable for employment with the Indian Health Service (IHS).
Prior to the appointment, candidates must present two valid forms of identification. If one of the documents is a state-issued ID or driver's license, it must be REAL ID-compliant.
Qualifications
To qualify for this position, your resume must state sufficient experience and/or education, to perform the duties of the specific position for which you are applying.
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; religious; spiritual; community; social). You will receive credit for all qualifying experience, including volunteer and part time experience. You must clearly identify the duties and responsibilities in each position held and the total number of hours per week.
BASIC REQUIREMENT(S):
All pharmacists must meet all of the following basic requirements:
Degree
A doctoral degree in Pharmacy that is recognized by the Accreditation Council for Pharmacy Education (ACPE) or an accrediting body recognized by the U.S. Department of Education at the time the degree was obtained.
Licensure
All applicants must have passed the North Pharmacist Licensure (NAPLEX) and the Multi-state Pharmacy Jurisprudence Examination (MPJE). Applicants also must be licensed to practice pharmacy in a State, the District of Columbia, the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico, or a territory of the United States.
Medical Requirement
Must be able to distinguish basic colors.
Experience
Applicant's qualifications background must demonstrate the knowledge, skills, abilities, and competencies necessary to perform the work of the position. Pharmacy work requires knowledge of the use, clinical effects, and composition of medications, including their chemical, biological, and physical properties. Qualifying professional pharmacy experience may involve, but is not limited to:
- Dispensing medications prescribed by physicians and other health practitioners and providing information to health practitioners and patients about proper usage of medications and side effects;
- Evaluating medication use patterns and outcomes for patients in hospitals or managed care organizations;
- Performing administrative, consultative, or staff advisory work for a medical facility's pharmacy program;
- Planning, monitoring and evaluating medication programs or regimens;
- Establishing medication-handling procedures for the storage and preservation of medications;
- Researching medical literature and/or clinical medication information to provide accurate responses to inquiries; and/or
- Maintaining all medication records required by law.
Basic Requirements for the GS-13 (or equivalent) Grade Level
In addition to the licensure and educational requirements described above, a minimum of one year of professional pharmacy experience that is equivalent to at least the next lower grade level GS-12 grade level in the Federal service obtained in either the private or public sector performing the following type of work and/or tasks: Providing oversight of the Pharmacy Clinical services and carrying out the Pharmacy functions; familiarity with collecting valid data for quarterly workload reports; preparing and maintaining departmental budget; assigning work for subordinates, evaluating work performance, and providing oversight of ongoing professional development of licensed staff and provides direct pharmaceutical services to all patients.
You must meet all qualification requirements within 30 days of the closing date of the announcement.
Education
This position has an education requirement. You are strongly encouraged to submit a copy of your transcripts or a list of your courses including titles, credit hours completed, and grades. Unofficial transcripts will be accepted in the application package. Official transcripts will be required from all selectees prior to receiving an official offer.
Only attendance and/or degrees from schools accredited by accrediting institutions recognized by the U.S. Department of Education may be credited. Applicants can verify accreditation at the following website: https://www.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
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. IHS may offer newly-appointed Federal employees credit for their directly related previous non-federal experience or active duty uniformed military service. This credited service can be used in determining the rate at which they earn annual leave.
- This position is ineligible for the Bargaining Unit.
- Total Compensation Package - Pharmacist Total Compensation | Pay (ihs.gov)
- Recruitment or relocation incentives may be authorized.
- The selected individual is required to obtain and maintain medical staff clinical privileges, including any licensure requirements. If privileges are not obtained or maintained during employment, the employee will be subject to adverse actions, up to and including removal from Federal service.
- Work is performed on regular and assigned basis; however, the incumbent may be required to be on call back duty or required to work beyond normal duty hours to complete assignments or to ensure coverage. At times, change in shifts may be required to meet the workload demands, complete a project/task, or alternate with other Pharmacists in responding to callbacks.
The Indian Health Service (IHS), National Health Service Corps (NHSC), and the Health Resources and Services Administration (HRSA) have student loan repayment programs for qualifying health disciplines. This is a competitive process separate from the hiring process. Opportunities for LRP are based on agency hiring priorities and availability of funds. For additional information please visit:
For IHS -
http://www.ihs.gov/loanrepayment/
For NHSC -
https://nhsc.hrsa.gov/loanrepayment/
For HRSA Nurse Corps -
https://bhw.hrsa.gov/loansscholarships/nursecorps
You will be evaluated for this position in accordance with the OPM Merit Hiring Plan.
As part of the application process, you will be asked to provide short essay responses (200 words or less each) to the following four questions.
- How has your commitment to the Constitution and the founding principles of the United States inspired you to pursue this role within the Federal government?
- In this role, how would you use your skills and experience to improve government efficiency and effectiveness?
- How would you help advance the President's Executive Orders and policy priorities in this role?
- How has a strong work ethic contributed to your professional, academic or personal achievements?
- Your responses are optional and will not be scored.
- However, they may be reviewed by hiring managers and agency leadership (or designees) during the evaluation process.
- You will be asked to certify that your responses are written in your own words and that you did not use a consultant or artificial intelligence (AI) tool (such as ChatGPT or Copilot).
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.
How you will be evaluated
You will be evaluated for this job based on how well you meet the qualifications above.
You will be evaluated for this job based on how well you meet the qualifications above.
Once the application process is complete, the first two pages of your resume and supporting documentation will be used to determine whether you meet the job qualifications.
Structured Resume Review: Subject matter experts (SMEs) will review your resume to determine your technical qualifications for this position based on the required competencies. SMEs will review ONLY the first two (2) pages of your resume. SMEs will not review additional information beyond your resume (e.g., cover letter, links embedded in your resume).
Once the announcement closes, we will conduct a review of your application package to verify your eligibility and qualifications. If you are found qualified, your application will move forward to additional phases of the review process.
To ensure a fair and consistent hiring process, IHS uses a multi-hurdle assessment process. Each "hurdle" must be passed before moving to the next step. This helps us evaluate applicants based on job-related qualifications, competencies, and experience.
Below is what applicants can expect:________________________________________
1. Minimum Qualifications Review - Hurdle 1HR reviews your resume to confirm you meet the eligibility and minimum qualifications for the position (education and/or licensure (if applicable), listed above).Note: the first two pages of your resume and supporting documentation will be used to determine whether you meet the minimum qualifications.If you meet eligibility and minimum qualifications, you move to the next hurdle.
2. Technical Assessment (Subject Matter Expert Resume Review) - Hurdle 2
A panel of subject matter experts (SME) will review your resume to determine whether you clearly show the required specialized experience listed below.
Note: SMEs will review ONLY the first two (2) pages of your resume.
SMEs will not review additional information beyond your resume (e.g., cover letter, links embedded in your resume).
This assessment is Pass/Fail.
Applicants who demonstrate the required experience will advance.
Providing oversight of the Pharmacy Clinical services and carrying out the Pharmacy functions; familiarity with collecting valid data for quarterly workload reports; preparing and maintaining departmental budget; assigning work for subordinates, evaluating work performance, and providing oversight of ongoing professional development of licensed staff and provides direct pharmaceutical services to all patients.
Demonstration of these specialized experience statements ascertain your competency in the following:
- Administration and Management
- Health Care Management
- Technical Competence
Click here to view vacancy questions:
https://apply.usastaffing.gov/ViewQuestionnaire/13015960.
All documents above MUST be received by 11:59 pm (Eastern Standard Time) of the closing date of, 08/13/2026, to be considered.