Clarification from the agency

NOTE: The 2-page Resume requirement does not apply to this position. For more information, refer to Required Documents below.

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The purpose of the GS-07 Pharmacy Technician position is to function in various areas of the inpatient or outpatient Pharmacy. e.g., unit dose, IV admixture, various storage areas, offices and patient care areas depending upon the area of administrative assignment of the incumbent, under the supervision of the designated Supervisor, or a registered pharmacist in the absence of a Supervisor. GS-7 Pharmacy Technicians typically carry out the full range of technical support functions described below.

These include but are not limited to; inpatient preparation and distribution of unit dose medications; intravenous admixtures; stock management; operation, maintenance, re-stocking and troubleshooting of automated dispensing equipment processing; filling outpatient prescriptions for scheduled and non-scheduled federal legend drugs and medical devices, over-the-counter products and supply items; patient and customer relations; and preparation and maintenance of various logs, records and reports.

The incumbent may be required to perform some or all of the functions; however, the relative percentages of time spent performing each specific function varies with the area of administrative assignment. The tour of duty for this position will be a rotating schedule through Inpatient and Outpatient Pharmacies, as determined by the respective section supervisor, for the needs of Pharmacy Service.

Duties:

• 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
• Receives, checks, rotates, and places in stock all items received from pharmacy procurement section and identifies and reconciles any discrepancies to assure correct items have been received
• Utilizes automation dispensing equipment available to the pharmacy staff following all safety and QA procedures. Reports automation malfunctions timely the supervisor as appropriate
• Records expiration dates in the automatic prescription dispensing system upon receipt
• Perform monthly inspections to assigned areas to ensure proper storage of medications and soon to expired drugs are removed. Completes inspection reports in compliance with regulatory requirements
• Compounds and/or reconstitutes oral or external medications (non-sterile). This includes calculating and converting to proper weights and measures the amount of drug or solution to be used for final pharmacist verification
  • Manufactures products requiring compounding, whether made in large batches for more than one patient or in small batches to fill a single prescription or drug order
  • Correctly interprets physician orders, selects, and measures appropriate ingredients, mixes ingredients in a safe and effective manner, inspects the final product for accuracy, labels the product, maintains records of the manufacturing process, and attains a final check by a pharmacist
  • Uses standard protocols to determine an accurate expiration date for each batch prepared
  • Proficiently operates equipment including but not limited to balances and mixing machines in the routing of manufacturing pharmaceutical products
• 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
• Performs review of medications prepared by another pharmacy employee to be dispensed to hospital areas
• Delivery of medications to floors in a timely manner
• Inventories and replenishes emergency crash carts.

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.

• 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.

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.
• 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)
  • OR
  • 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 by38 U.S.C. § 7403(f)
  • 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

1. Knowledge of pharmacy technician principles, practices, concepts and theories providing for sound independent work
2. Knowledge of the computerized prescription process and input of prescriptions and medication orders or electronic equivalent
3. Ability to resolve pharmacy/medication issues with other members of the healthcare team, Veterans and external customers
4. Ability to train developmental pharmacy technicians and students
5. Ability to dispense medication or sterile products following all regulations, policies and procedures to ensure safe medication distribution
6. Ability to troubleshoot automated dispensing equipment (ADE) or technology platforms/databases

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.