Career Center

Summary

This is an OPEN CONTINUOUS ANNOUNCEMENT and will remain open until September 30 - 2025. The first cut-off dates for referral of eligible applications will be 6/11/2025. All eligible applicants will be reviewed and referred to the hiring manager no later than 6/25/2025. Eligible applications received after 6/11/2025 date will be referred at regular intervals or as additional vacancies occur on an as-needed basis.

Qualifications

To qualify for this position - applicants must meet all requirements within 30 days of the closing date of this announcement.

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 Proficiency
• Candidates must be proficient in spoken and written English to be appointed as authorized by 38 U.S.C. 7403(f)
• 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)
• GRADE DETERMINATION: Lead Pharmacy Technician GS-08 Experience
• Candidates must possess one year of experience equivalent to the next lower grade level and demonstrate the KSAs below
• Knowledge - Skills and Abilities (KSAs)
• In addition to the experience above - the candidate must demonstrate the following KSAs for all GS-08 assignments and meet any additional KSAs for the assignment - if indicated: (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.) Note: See Specialized Area in the Definitions Section
• (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
• Assignments
• For all assignments above the full performance level - the higher-level duties must consist of significant scope - complexity and range of variety and be performed by the incumbent at least 25% of the time
• Pharmacy technicians at this level have a higher level of responsibility for specialized areas of pharmacy and are expected to independently carry out assigned tasks of considerable difficulty
• Lead Pharmacy Technician Assignments
• For all assignments above the full performance level - the higher-level duties must consist of significant scope - complexity and range of variety and be performed by the incumbent at least 25% of the time
• Lead pharmacy technicians perform duties independently - which consist of significant scope and complexity and will assist with technician oversight
• Lead pharmacy technicians lead three GS-07 or more pharmacy technicians/employees/staff members - provide direction for daily operations and assume responsibility for integrating and monitoring standard pharmacy policies to maintain continuous workflow and quality within the service
• Lead pharmacy technicians must do a combination of at least three of the following duties: prepare work schedules and assign tasks to ensure timely completion of duties
• ensure pharmacy resources are in optimal working condition and address workflow needs
• provide guidance and support of the work unit in supervisory absence
• train personnel (including students) in methods - procedures and use of equipment and instruments specific to the assigned area
• provide input to supervisor on performance and training needs of employees
• adjust work assignments due to absences - emergencies or changes in priorities
• resolve simple informal complaints of employees and patients - refer more difficult problems to the supervisor
• or recommend approval and/or disapproval of leave requests
• DEFINITIONS: Specialized Experience
• Experience that equipped the applicant with the particular knowledge - skills and abilities (KSAs) to successfully perform the duties of the position and is typically in - or related to - the work of the position to be filled
• To be creditable - specialized experience must have been equivalent to at least the next lower grade level
• Applicants who have one year of appropriate specialized experience are not required to have general experience - education above the high school level or any additional specialized experience to meet the minimum qualification requirements
• Successful completion of pertinent specialized training courses in pharmaceutical and pharmacy practices while serving in the Armed Forces is creditable on a month-for-month basis up to the one year of specialized experience
• PREFERRED EXPERIENCE: Working knowledge of Cerner EHRM - ScriptPro - Omnicell - TCG-Rx - Temptrak & InTemp systems
• 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. PHYSICAL REQUIREMENTS: This work requires light lifting (under 15 pounds) - light carrying (under 15 pounds) - reaching above shoulder - use of fingers - walking (1 hour) - standing (1 hour) - near vision correctable at 13" to 16" to Jaeger 1 to 4 - ability to distinguish basic colors - and hearing (aid may be permitted).

Duties

• The lead pharmacy technician assists Pharmacy Technician Supervisor in quality improvement activities by participating in medical center and service process assessment and action teams and continually seeks to improve services
• Duties include but are not limited to: Asses workload volume throughout the day - identify backlogs - and make staffing adjustments as needed to meet organizational goals
• Identify areas of duplication of efforts and develop solutions to streamline processes - reduce waste - cost savings - and improve patient care
• Responsible for organizing and assisting the pharmacy technician team to ensure assigned tasks are timely and accurately completed for their specific program areas
• Coordinate day-to-day maintenance and operation of pharmacy area equipment and automation
• Promote harmonious relationships within the work environment and support the needs of the team and customer
• Listen to informal complaints of employees and other customers in a helpful and timely fashion
• If not able to remedy a situation - the lead will notify the pharmacy technician supervisor
• Assist in training and orientating new and existing pharmacy technicians and students on policy and procedures
• Identify and report developmental and training needs to ensure safety and quality control for their program area
• Develop training schedules and assist in maintaining documentation for all pharmacy technicians and students
• Effectively evaluate pharmacy activities to assist management to obtain short- and long-range objectives and goals
• Assist in the development of policies and procedures and participate in goal planning and quality improvement activities
• Maintain competence by participating in staff development programs
• Serve as on-line back up to all other pharmacy technicians within the Pharmacy department - as needed
• Serve as backup purchaser to main Pharmacy Procurement Technician and Pharmacy Technician Supervisor
• Assist in preparation of national - local - and special accreditations of pharmacy service
• (Joint Commission - Inspector General - Controlled Substance Inspections - Drug Enforcement Agency) This includes documentation record updates - development of specific training and preparation of staff and compliance of policy and procedures
• Proactively evaluate and analyze data for self-driven (independent) performance improvement projects - workload analysis and statistical reports
• Pharmacy Technician: vacareers.va.gov/wp-content/uploads/sites/5/Total-Rewards-of-a-Pharmacy-Technician-Career-Flyer.pdf Work Schedule: Monday - Friday 9:00am - 5:30pm Recruitment Incentive (Sign-on Bonus): 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) 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