Clarification from the agency

This job is open to current permanent Department of Veterans Affairs employees, current permanent Federal employees of other Federal agencies and all US Citizens (if you are a Veterans Affairs employee or an employee of another federal agency, ensure you submit an SF-50 per the required documents section to receive proper consideration for claimed eligibility) NOTE: The 2-page Resume requirement does not apply to this position. For more information, refer to Required Documents below.

Videos

VA Careers - Pharmacy: https://youtube.com/embed/Fn_ickNBEws

Total Rewards of a Allied Health Professional

Major duties of the Pharmacy Technician - Care in the Community include, but are not limited to:

• Coordinates the technical aspects of pharmacy drug distribution activities to ensure standard operating procedures are in alignment with Care in the Community requests to include recommending and changes for the improvement of the workflow, work methods, and priorities involved with the processing of Care in the Community prescriptions.
• Evaluates and analyzes workflow and coordinates all work activities involved with Care in the Community prescription processing to include troubleshooting, regularly gathering data, analyzing and interpreting VA data and formulating action plans.
• Participating in quality improvement initiatives to improve Care in the Community processes to increase overall quality and safety, continually seeking ways to improve the service provided to patients and all other customers.
• Resolves problems and complaints regarding all Care in the Community pharmacy requests, including prescriptions received from unauthorized provider visits through communication with Care in the Community staff and/or non-VA providers when issues arise and alerting appropriate personnel.
• Trains and orients new and existing pharmacy staff and other medical center staff on proper policy and procedures for Care in the Community prescription workload.
• Has responsibility for the proper handling of Care in the Community pharmacy records.
• Communicates with Pharmacy Procurement when specialty medications need to be ordered to fulfill an approved Care in the Community prescription.
• Assists in the tracking and shipping of Care in the Community prescribed controlled substances.
• Responsible to keep patients updated on the status of Care in the Community prescriptions and documenting communication appropriately in the Electronic Health Record.

Work Schedule: Monday - Friday, 7:30am-4:00pm or 8:00am-4:30pm; weekends and holidays as needed
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). This is for external candidates only. Pay will be determined by federal pay setting policies if currently a federal employee.
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 eligible
Virtual: This is not a virtual position.
Functional Statement #: 94405-A
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 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.
• Must be proficient in spoken and written English as required by 38 U.S.C. 7403(f).
• Certification: Must have successfully passed a national certification exam and hold an active national certification through either: 1.) Pharmacy Technician Certification Board (PTCB) as a Certified Pharmacy Technician (CPhT); or 2.) National Healthcareer Association (NHA) as a 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).

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:

1. 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.
2. 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.
3. 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.
4. 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.
5. 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: To qualify for this position, you must meet the Basic Requirements as well as any additional grade-level qualification requirements.

Pharmacy Technician, GS-8:

1. Experience: In addition to meeting the basic requirements, you must possess at least one (1) year of experience equivalent to the next lower grade level (GS-07). Examples of specialized experience include, but are not limited to: can work autonomously using independent judgment to perform a full range of duties; mentoring and training lower graded pharmacy technicians in the practice setting; assist advanced/specialized pharmacy technicians and participate in performance improvement initiatives; function as staff pharmacy technicians in various locations of the pharmacy, including pharmacy contact centers and other non-traditional pharmacy locations, with minimal oversight.

2. Certification: Must have successfully passed a national certification exam and hold an active national certification through either: 1.) Pharmacy Technician Certification Board (PTCB) as a Certified Pharmacy Technician (CPhT); or 2.) National Healthcareer Association (NHA) as a Certified Pharmacy Technician (ExCPT).

3. Knowledge, Skills and Abilities (KSAs): In addition to meeting the experience for the GS-08 level, the candidate must demonstrate the following Knowledge, Skills and Abilities:
a.) Comprehensive knowledge of concepts, principles, methodology and policies in a specialized area or section of pharmacy (such as sterile compounding, controlled substances, automation, clinical pharmacy, contact center, etc.)
b.) Skill in training and orienting new and existing pharmacy facility employees and students on proper policies and procedures.
c.) Ability to evaluate, analyze and coordinate workflow and work activities within a specialized area or section of the pharmacy.

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-8. The actual grade at which an applicant may be selected for this vacancy is GS-8.

Physical Requirements: The work requires regular and recurring physical exertion, involving standing or sitting for prolonged periods of time, typing, walking distances with in the medical center, lifting/carrying (up to 40 pounds) of pharmaceutical supplies, and bending/stooping/stretching. Position requires the ability to read fine print on labels, depth perceptions, ability to distinguish basic colors, hearing (air permitted), clear speech, and emotional stability.

How you will be evaluated

You will be evaluated for this job based on how well you meet the qualifications above.

Area of Consideration- Eligible applications will be reviewed and referred in the following order:
1. Current, permanent VA employees of the facility (Station 553)
2. All other current, permanent VA employees at stations other than 553
3. Current, permanent employees of other federal Agencies
4. All other applicants.

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.

To apply for this position, you must provide a complete application package which includes:

1. Resume (must include the following information):

• Job Title
• Duties (be as detailed as possible)
• Month and year start/end dates (e.g. June 2024 to April 2025)
• Full-time or part-time (include hours worked per week)

NOTE: Do not include a photograph or video of yourself, or any sensitive information (age, date of birth, marital status, protected health information, religious affiliation, social security number, etc.) on your resume or cover letter. Including any of this information may result in an ineligibility rating.

2. Certification (must include the following information):

• Name on License
• Issuing state or territory
• Complete license number
• Expiration date