Career Center

Summary

This position falls under the Pharmacy Service at William Jennings Bryan Dorn Department of Veterans Affairs Medical Center - Columbia South Carolina and the duty location is located at the Lance Corporal Dana Cornell Darnell VA Clinic - Greenville SC.

Qualifications

Applicants pending the completion of educational or certification/licensure requirements may be referred and tentatively selected but may not be hired until all requirements are met.

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
• 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
• English Language Proficiency
• Pharmacy Technician candidates must be proficient in spoken and written English to be appointed as authorized by 38 U.S.C. § 7403(f)
• 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: (1) Pharmacy Technician Certification Board (PTCB) - Certified Pharmacy Technician (CPhT)
• OR (2) National Health career Association (NHA) - Certified Pharmacy Technician (ExCPT)
• Grade Determination: Pharmacy Technician - GS-07 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)
• Experience
• Candidates must possess one year of experience equivalent to the GS-6 grade level
• Example of GS-6 level experiences but not limited to: Fill orders - dispense/deliver medications using automated systems or provide technical customer
• Delivery of 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) and 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: Pharmacy Technician Certification Board (PTCB) - Certified Pharmacy Technician (CPhT)
• National Health career Association (NHA) - Certified Pharmacy Technician (ExCPT)
• Knowledge - Skills and Abilities (KSAs): In addition to the experience above - the candidate must demonstrate all of the following KSAs: (a) Knowledge of pharmacy technician principles - practices - concepts and theories providing for sound independent work
• (b) Knowledge of the computerized prescription process and input of prescriptions and medication orders or electronic equivalent
• (c) Ability to resolve pharmacy/medication issues with other members of the healthcare team - Veterans and external customers
• (d) Ability to train developmental pharmacy technicians and students
• (e) Ability to dispense medication or sterile products following all regulations - policies and procedures to ensure safe medication distribution
• (f) Ability to troubleshoot automated dispensing equipment (ADE) or technology platforms/databases
• 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)
• Preferred Experience: One year of experience working as a certified pharmacy technician in an Inpatient or outpatient Pharmacy setting
• Experience working with pharmacy automation equipment - customer service - and preparing medications for pharmacist verification
• 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-06
• The actual grade at which an applicant may be selected for this vacancy is GS-07
• Physical Requirements: Ability to do limited physical exertion
• Physical activities will include walking and lifting (less than 40 pounds).

Duties

• Total Rewards of a Allied Health Professional This position is for a certified pharmacy technician above the full performance level GS-7 at the Columbia VA Healthcare System
• Pharmacy technicians at this grade level are nationally certified by PTCB or ExCPT and can work autonomously - using independent judgement to perform a full range of duties
• Duties included but not limited to: Pharmacy technicians above the full performance level can mentor and train lower grade technicians in the practice setting
• Will assist the pharmacist in providing optimal care and timely service in accordance with the mission - vision - and goals of the Columbia VA Healthcare System and Pharmacy
• Reviews prescription orders for technical accuracy
• Dispenses medications following all regulations - policies - and procedures for safe medication distribution
• Follows established policies and procedures - schedules - inventory levels - and usage rate reports to determine appropriate stock levels for specific areas of use Maintains highly sophisticated pharmacy equipment
• Work Schedule: Monday - Friday 8:00am to 4:30pm or 8:30am - 5:00pm (May be required to work weekends and holidays if needed
• Tour of duty is subject to change based on agency's needs.) 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 #: 55861F Permanent Change of Station (PCS): Not Authorized