Clarification from the agency

Open to all US citizens.

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Allied VA Health Professional Total Rewards Package: Total-Rewards-of-an-Allied-Health-VA-Career-Brochure.pdf

Pharmacy Technician Rewards Package: vacareers.va.gov/wp-content/uploads/sites/5/Total-Rewards-of-a-Pharmacy-Technician-Career-Flyer.pdf

About the position: The pharmacy technician independently performs duties and responsibilities by filling orders, dispensing/delivering medications using automated systems or provide technical customer service to Veterans related to prescription needs. Duties include but are not limited to:

• Delivery of medications to floors/ patients, filling medications for the pharmacist to review, checking for expired medications, answering phones with appropriate disposition, preparing sterile products (when applicable) and assisting with basic inventory management such as putting up stock and identifying when medications need to be ordered.
• Reads and interprets prescriptions, obtains proper medication or material in the proper
  strength and dosage form; determines proper amount and counts, pours, or measures the
  medications; affixes proper label; and records required data on electronically or via the
  Pharmacy's copy of prescription/order. After a final check by a pharmacist, dispenses
  medication in a clinic, ambulatory care, dispensing window, or discharge situations.
• Inventories replenished emergency carts without a second view. Collects drug use
  evaluation data for quality improvements purposes. Operates and maintains complicated
  pharmacy equipment.
• Compounds and/or reconstitutes oral or external medications (non-sterile) without a
  second review. This includes calculating and converting to proper weights and measures
  the amount of drug or solution to be used.
• As deemed necessary by the pharmacy supervisor, assists in other patient care
  areas to maintain the consistency of overall pharmacy services. Provides pharmacy
  phone support with other departments and patients. Will maintain the medication
  storage areas for compliance in drug outdates for the correct storage of medication as
  per the Joint Commission requirements.
• Maintains, verifies, stocks, and replaces outdates in patient care area automated
  dispensing machines.
• Assists with inventory management, maintaining stock levels and ordering of
  medications.
• Properly handles medications by ensuring high alert, hazardous, refrigerated and
  controlled substance medications are handled/stored appropriately and legally.
• Prepares medications that requires special handling and documentation.
• Assists in training for lower graded technicians and technician students.
• Performs all duties of lower graded technicians, if required.

Work Schedule: Variable schedule. 40 hours per week.
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). 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 #: 10336F
Permanent Change of Station (PCS): Not authorized
PCS Appraised Value Offer (AVO): 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.
• You may be required to serve a probationary period.
• 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.
• Must pass pre-employment physical examination.
• Participation in the seasonal influenza vaccination program is a requirement for all Department of Veterans Affairs Health Care Personnel (HCP).

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.

Basic Requirements:

• Citizenship: Be a citizen of the United States (U.S.). Non-citizens may only be appointed when it is not possible to recruit qualified citizens in accordance with VA Policy.
• License: All applicants 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), or Certified Pharmacy Technician (ExCPT).
  • (1) Exception based on Grandfathering Provision: A Pharmacy Technician employed in VHA on the effective date of the qualification standard (11/7/2023) are considered to have met all qualification requirements for the title, series and grade held, including positive education and certification 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:
    • 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.
    • 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.
    • 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.
    • 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.
    • 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.

Grade Determination: Pharmacy Technician, GS-0661-07

• Experience: Candidates must possess one year of experience equivalent to the GS-06 grade level in the Pharmacy Technician field. Qualifying GS-06 grade level experience includes, but is not limited to: fill orders, dispense/deliver medications using automated systems or provide technical customer service to Veterans related to prescription needs. Duties will include delivery of medications to floors/patients, filling medications for the pharmacist to review, checking for expired medications, answering phones with appropriate disposition, preparing sterile products (when applicable) and assisting with basic inventory management such as putting up stock and identifying when medications need to be ordered. AND;
• Demonstrated Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities. In addition to the experience above, the candidate must demonstrate 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: PTCB certification.

Reference: For more information on this qualification standard, please visit https://www.va.gov/ohrm/QualificationStandards/.

This vacancy is above the full performance level and will be selected at the GS-07 grade.

Physical Requirements: The work requires regular and recurring physical exertion, involving standing or sitting for prolonged periods of time, typing, walking distances within the medical center, lifting/
carrying (up to 40 pounds) of pharmaceutical supplies, and ending/stooping/stretching.

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.