Skip to main content
U.S. flag

Clinical Pharmacy Specialist

Department of Veterans Affairs
Veterans Health Administration
Veterans Health Care Systems of the Ozarks
This job announcement has closed

Summary

The Clinical Pharmacy Specialist (CPS) performs the full range of accepted ethical and professional practices of pharmacy, observing all legal requirements and has prescribing privileges as outlined in the individual's Scope of Practice (SOP). The primary responsibility of the CPS is the provision of evidence-based pharmaceutical care services through direct care with patients and consultation with other providers on their team.

Overview

Help
Reviewing applications
Open & closing dates
06/25/2025 to 07/07/2025
Salary
$144,094 to - $187,325 per year
Pay scale & grade
GS 13
Locations
2 vacancies in the following locations:
Fort Smith, AR
Springfield, MO
Remote job
No
Telework eligible
Yes—as determined by the agency policy.
Travel Required
Not required
Relocation expenses reimbursed
No
Appointment type
Permanent
Work schedule
Full-time
Service
Excepted
Promotion potential
None
Job family (Series)
Supervisory status
No
Security clearance
Not Required
Drug test
Yes
Position sensitivity and risk
Non-sensitive (NS)/Low Risk
Trust determination process
Announcement number
CBST-12753429-25-ARS
Control number
839501100

This job is open to

Help

Clarification from the agency

Open to U.S. Citizens

Videos

Duties

Help

If you ARE a current, permanent VA employee or Federal employee from another agency, you should apply using announcement:CBST-12753239-25-ARS.

The duties of the Clinical Pharmacy Specialist include, but are not limited to:

  • Directly involved in the design, implementation, and monitoring of therapeutic drug plans to achieve definite outcomes through direct interactions with patients and providers in assigned areas.
  • Core functions include face-to-face, VVC, and telephone encounters with referred patients, for comprehensive medication management in practice areas identified in their individual scope of practice.
  • Actively involved in reviewing patient medication regimens for clinical effectiveness, drug selection, dosing, medication reconciliation, contraindications, side effects, potential drug interactions, and therapeutic outcomes as required. Communicates findings with prescribers and provides appropriate alternatives to current treatment plans as needed.
  • Able to apply knowledge of normal laboratory values in the evaluation of patient care and recognizes significant abnormalities.
  • Expert in the principles of clinical pharmacokinetics and pharmacodynamics and is knowledgeable and able to make dose adjustment recommendations based on objective laboratory findings.
  • Documents clinical interventions in CPRS in a timely and professional manner as appropriate.
  • Obtains medication histories from patients and summarizes significant findings in the medical record and/or to the provider as appropriate.
  • Performs drug use evaluations on behalf of national, VISN and local medical center initiatives as needed.
  • Reviews and evaluates requests for non-formulary and restricted drugs for appropriateness and compliance with established criteria where applicable.
  • Unique functions requiring the individual to maintain a SOP:
    • Serves as the primary provider to initiate, modify, or discontinue patient's medication therapy. Provides patient-specific drug therapy modifications to maximize patient response and minimize drug interactions, adverse drug effects, and polypharmacy while providing cost-effective treatment. The assessments are based on clinical reviews and objective measures. Clinical pharmacy specialists will determine if a referral to the physician is necessary when disease progression occurs, or adverse drug events require treatment interventions.
    • Orders, performs, reviews, and analyzes appropriate laboratory tests and other diagnostic studies necessary to monitor and support the patient's drug therapy. Follows-up with patients on lab or test results to discuss the plan of therapy (i.e., changes in medication therapy, monitoring and evaluation, additional testing requirements, referral to primary care or specialty care physician)
  • Monitors for and reports drug errors, adverse drug reactions, allergies, and patient compliance issues, documents findings per facility procedures.
  • Promotes and monitors compliance for established drug therapy policies.
  • Works with providers to ensure compliance with national, VISN, and local initiatives.
  • Serves on medical center and/or VISN committees as requested.
  • Performs drug conversions and assists with drug shortages when needed.
  • Participates in professional staff recommendations designed to influence rational and cost-effective drug therapy in Primary Care.
Work Schedule: Monday-Friday, 7:30am-4:00pm or 8:00am-4:30pm (May be changed based on the needs of the service)
Telework: Available (Ad-Hoc)
Virtual: This is not a virtual position.
Functional Statement #: 564-01444-F
Relocation/Recruitment Incentives: Not Authorized
Permanent Change of Station (PCS): Not Authorized

Requirements

Help

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 trial 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

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.
English Language: Candidates must be proficient in spoken and written English to be appointed as authorized by 38 U.S.C. 7403(f).
Education:

  1. Graduate of an Accreditation Council for Pharmacy Education (ACPE) accredited College or School of Pharmacy with a baccalaureate degree in pharmacy (BS Pharmacy) and/or a Doctor of Pharmacy (Pharm.D.) degree.
  2. Graduates of foreign pharmacy degree programs meet the educational requirement if the graduate is able to provide proof of achieving the Foreign Pharmacy Graduate Examination Commission (FPGEC) Certification, which includes passing the Foreign Pharmacy Graduate Equivalency Examination (FPGEE) and the Test of English as a Foreign Language Internet-Based Test (TOEFL iBT).
Licensure. Full, current and unrestricted license to practice pharmacy in a State, Territory, Commonwealth of the United States (i.e., Puerto Rico), or the District of Columbia. The pharmacist must maintain current registration if this is a requirement for maintaining full, current, and unrestricted licensure.

Grade Determinations: In addition to the basic requirements for employment, the following criteria must be met when determining the grade of candidates:

GS-13, Clinical Pharmacy Specialist (CPS):
Experience:
In addition to the GS-12 requirements, must have 1 year of experience equivalent to the next lower grade level.
Knowledge, Skills and Abilities (KSAs): Pharmacists assigned to this position must demonstrate the following knowledge, skills, and abilities KSAs:
  1. Ability to communicate orally and in writing to persuade and influence clinical and management decisions.
  2. Expert understanding of regulatory and quality standards for their program area.
  3. Ability to solve problems, coordinate and organize responsibilities to maximize outcomes in their program area or area of clinical expertise.
  4. Expert knowledge of a specialized area of clinical pharmacy practice or specialty area of pharmacy.
  5. Advanced skill in monitoring and assessing the outcome of drug therapies, including physical assessment and interpretation of laboratory and other diagnostic parameters.
Preferred Experience: PGY1 Pharmacy Residency and/or previous PACT experience.

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

The actual grade at which an applicant may be selected for this vacancy is GS-13.

Physical Requirements: Physical aspects associated with work required of this assignment are typical for the occupation, see Duties section for essential job duties of the position. May require standing, lifting, carrying, sitting, stooping, bending, puling, and pushing. May be required to wear personal protective equipment and undergo annual TB screening or testing as conditions of employment.

Work Environment: Work is performed in an office/clinic setting with minimal risks that requires normal safety precautions; the area is adequately lighted, heated, and ventilated. However, the work environment requires someone with the ability to handle several tasks at once in sometimes stressful situations.

Education

Note: Only education or degrees recognized by the U.S. Department of Education from accredited colleges, universities, schools, or institutions may be used to qualify for Federal employment. You can verify your education here: http://ope.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

During the application process you may have an option to opt-in to make your resume available to hiring managers in the agency who have similar positions. Opting in does not impact your application for this announcement, nor does it guarantee further consideration for additional positions.

This job opportunity announcement may be used to fill additional vacancies.

This position is in the Excepted Service and does not confer competitive status.

VA encourages persons with disabilities to apply. The health-related positions in VA are covered by Title 38, and are not covered by the Schedule A excepted appointment authority.

If you are unable to apply online or need an alternate method to submit documents, please reach out to the Agency Contact listed in this Job Opportunity Announcement.

Under the Fair Chance to Compete Act, the Department of Veterans Affairs prohibits requesting an applicant's criminal history prior to accepting a tentative job offer. For more information about the Act and the complaint process, visit Human Resources and Administration/Operations, Security, and Preparedness (HRA/OSP) at The Fair Chance Act.

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.

Your session is about to expire!

Your USAJOBS session will expire due to inactivity in 8 minutes. Any unsaved data will be lost if you allow the session to expire. Click the button below to continue your session.