Clarification from the agency

NOTE: The 2-page Resume requirement does not apply to this position. For more information, refer to Required Documents below. Current permanent employees of VAMC Lebanon, NECPAC, and employees of VISN4 Contracting, OI&T, CBOPC and Veterans Canteen Service located in Lebanon, PA. Open to The Public. Facility employees will receive first consideration.

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The Pharmacy Technician is expected to accomplish all duties related to stocking, delivering, inventory, inspections, assembling ward orders, prescription assembly, controlled substances distribution, sterile compounding (including hazardous drugs), unit-dose drug packaging, dispensing, distribution, and any other function related to pharmaceutical practices. All duties preformed will be under supervision and are expected to acquire and maintain a high degree of accurate productivity and performance.

Major duties include, but may not be limited to:

General

• Accurately interpret, fills, and prepares prescriptions with appropriate medications and or medical supplies for pharmacist verification.
• Maintains work areas in a clean and orderly condition by assuring that all stock and equipment are in assigned places and all shelves and counters are free of dust and debris in order to create optional work areas.
• Assures drugs and supplies are appropriately stored and secured according to USP and VA guidelines, including the storage of high-risk, look a-like sound a- like, hazardous, controlled substances, corrosive chemical, flammable liquids, and refrigerated items.
• Utilizes automation dispensing equipment available to the pharmacy staff following all safety and QA procedures. Reports automation malfunctions timely to the supervisor as appropriate.
• Assists in training and orientation of new staff technicians, interns, and students. Assumes an active role in the overall pharmacy-training program consisting of students, externs, interns, residents, and professional and non-professional staff members.
• Maintains national certification with PTCB or ExCPT.
• May be assigned to work in other areas of pharmacy service as deemed necessary by the Chief, Pharmacy Service or Supervisor.

Outpatient Pharmacy Activities
Prescription Assembly

• Assembles prescriptions properly with the correct drug, strength, quantity, auxiliary labels, and prescription labels. for window dispensing and mail delivery
• Assures that the correct medication is filled by using bar code scanning on stock bottles.
• Supports automation by manually completing prescriptions not processed through the automation dispensing machine.
• Assures the timely completion of all prescriptions.

Window Pick-Up

• Verifies the patient's identification following the Medical Center's policies (i.e., double patient identifiers)
• Verifies that the patient receives the correct prescriptions by using VA software (i.e., VISTA and barcode scanning)
• Verifies that the patient has received all prescriptions (i.e., refrigerated, controlled substances, bulk medications, etc.)

Mail Packaging

• Utilizes and comprehends the mail shipping programs used by the facility (i.e., USPS, FedEx, UPS, etc.) for overnight delivery of non- controlled and controlled prescriptions.
• Performs searches, updates patient information, and generates shipping reports as requested by the supervisor.
• Calls patients to arrange delivery of refrigerated prescriptions and verifies patients address.
• Packages prescriptions appropriately, as to assure that packages are not damaged within transit (i.e., bubble wrap, ice blocks, insulated containers, etc.)
• Utilizes VA software programs to check narratives and problem solve deliveries for patients with no physical address.

Work Schedule: Available shifts: 7:00am-3:30pm; 8:00am-4:30pm and 9:30am-6:00pm with rotating weekends & holidays of 7:00am-3:30pm and 8:00am-4:30pm
Recruitment Incentive (Sign-on Bonus): Not Authorized
Permanent Change of Station (Relocation Assistance): 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 #: 000000
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.
• 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).
• 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: To qualify for appointment to this position, all applicants must possess the following:

• Citizenship - You must be a citizen of the United States
• English Language Proficiency - You must be proficient in spoken and written English in accordance with 38 U.S.C. 7403(f).
• 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 (GS-07 and above): 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).
• 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:
  • 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 Determinations: Pharmacy Technician, GS-0661-07

Education or Experience. In addition to meeting the basic requirements, to qualify for the GS-07 you must possess at least 1 year of experience equivalent to the next lower grade level (GS-06). Examples of GS-6 level experience include but are not limited to: knowledge of Federal and state laws related to pharmacy practice; knowledge of preparation, storage and distribution of medication products including those requiring special handling and documentation; ability to use pharmacy information systems or operate pharmacy dispensing equipment; knowledge of basic inventory procedures; and ability to communicate with patients and staff and direct questions to appropriate personnel.

Examples of experience include:

• Filling orders, dispensing/delivering medications using automated systems or providing technical customer service to Veterans related to prescription needs.
• Delivering 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).
• Assisting with basic inventory management such as putting up stock and identifying when medications need to be ordered.

Certification. For positions above the full performance level, the employee must pass a national certification exam and hold an active national certification through either:

• PTCB as a CPhT.
• NHA as a ExCPT.

Knowledge, Skills and Abilities (KSAs). In addition to the experience above, the candidate must demonstrate all of the following KSAs at the GS-7 level:

• 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.

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: Work involves some sitting and lifting, pushing, or pulling of weights up to 50 pounds. The incumbent will be subjected to bending and stooping. Able to operate motor vehicle and able to work 8-10 hour shifts with compressed schedules. Willing to work weekends and holidays. Able to carry 20 pounds for short distances.

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.