Pharmacy Technician

Summary

The Automation Pharmacy Technician position is located in the Newington Outpatient Pharmacy. Pharmacy technicians prepare medications by counting, pouring, weighing, measuring, and mixing or compounding medications. The pharmacy technician may also prepare medications for distribution to clinics and outpatients for pickup and mailing. Pharmacy technicians work in collaboration with other pharmacy technicians and responds to requests of pharmacists, call centers, patients and supervisory staff.

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Overview

• Accepting applications

• Open & closing dates

05/31/2024 to 06/21/2024

• Salary

$66,445 - $86,377 per year

This position is covered under a special salary rate.

• Pay scale & grade

GS 8

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Location

1 vacancy in the following location:

• Newington, CT 1 vacancy

• Remote job

No

• Telework eligible

Yes-Ad-Hoc 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)

0661 Pharmacy Technician

• Supervisory status

No

• Security clearance

Other

• Drug test

Yes

• Position sensitivity and risk

Non-sensitive (NS)/Low Risk

• Trust determination process

Credentialing

Suitability/Fitness

• Announcement number

CBTD-12427633-24-HV

• Control number

793395600

Help

This job is open to

• Internal to an agency

Current federal employees of this agency.

Clarification from the agency

This job opportunity announcement is open to current and permanent Federal employees of the Newington facility ONLY. If you are not a current and permanent employee of the Newington facility you will not qualify for the position.

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Duties

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

Pharmacy Technician (Newington Outpatient Automation) GS-0661-08

Under the supervision of a Pharmacist, or Supervisory Pharmacy Technician, pharmacy technicians perform routine pharmacy functions including medication preparation, inventory accountability and medication distribution. Pharmacy technicians prepare prescriptions by counting, pouring, weighing, measuring, and mixing the medication if necessary. Pharmacy technicians receive and set up stock, and take inventory of medications. Pharmacy technicians prepare medications for outpatients in various settings, including non-sterile product preparation. Pharmacy technicians are able to read and understand medication profiles, refill prescriptions, track orders and triage patient medication inquiries appropriately.

Pharmacy technicians at this GS-8 standard have a higher level of responsibility for specialized areas of pharmacy and are expected to independently carry out assigned tasks of considerable difficulty. Pharmacy technicians in this assignment specialize in areas such as sterile compounding, oncology, controlled substances, medication history review, clinical specialist (anticoagulation, pain, infectious diseases), clinical informatics, automation, immunizations and any other specialized area in the advancement of the profession. This pharmacy technician will serve as a subject matter expert and key resource in the day-to-day technician duties of the specialized area for automation. The technician will also be able to perform all pharmacy technician duties as it relates to the outpatient pharmacy.

Duties include but are not limited to the following description:

• Resolves problems and complaints regarding all pharmacy and automated dispensing automation, troubleshoots problems with all automated dispensing equipment when production is compromised and alerts appropriate personnel.

• Evaluates, coordinates and performs work activities involved with inventory management and pharmacy automation (i.e., ScriptPro, Pyxis, Omnicell, FastFill, OptiFill etc.). This will involve trouble shooting, gathering data, navigating formulary issues at the local level and coordinating between campuses as well as CMOP. This may involve the guidance and collaboration with procurement.

• Has oversight responsibility of the user files of all automated dispensing systems and for the addition of new items and deletion of obsolete items from all automated dispensing systems.

• Ensures that equipment is cleaned and maintained regularly to minimize downtime.

• Coordinates with HTM services to ensure preventative maintenance and collaboration with the contracted automation company is met if applicable.

• Trains and orients pharmacy staff, and other medical center staff involved in operating automation.

• Provides data for workload reports and process improvement projects to appropriate supervisors.

• Thoroughly understands VA pharmacy procurement and formulary and uses this knowledge to appropriately manage pharmacy automation equipment, drug entries, optimize medication utilization and to fulfill medications on backorder.

• Resolves customer service inquiries related to a broad range of topics, in particular in relation to pharmacy automation, but may include a variety of sources including patient advocate, pharmacy customer care, clinical contact center, direct patient calls and/or clinic requests.

• Thoroughly understands controlled substance policies and procedures, including controlled substance inspection process, discrepancies and resolution.

• Coordinates with procurement team to assist with reverse distribution functions.

• Maintains competency and training as an ordering officer for the national pharmacy prime vendor (PPV) contract in order to assist in occasional backup for basic ordering duties to meet operational goals.

• Ability to perform all major technician duties up to and including the GS-0661-07 Outpatient Technician assignments as related to prescription assembly, basic inventory, customer service, compounding, ward stock, controlled substances, medication preparation and distribution..

• Knowledgeable and proficient in all areas related to GS-0661-08 duties as related to the outpatient pharmacy including controlled substance management, pharmacy customer service, inventory/procurement and reverse distribution matters along with workflow management.

• Other duties as assigned.

Work Schedule: Primarily Monday thru Friday, 8:00am to 4:30pm, 8:30am to 5pm EST based on medical center needs.

Telework: Ad-Hoc Available

Virtual: This is not a virtual position.

Functional Statement #: F06758

Financial Disclosure Report: Not required.

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Requirements

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 probationary period.

• Subject to background/security investigation.

• Selected applicants will be required to complete an online onboarding process.

• 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).

• Participation in the Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19) vaccination program is a requirement for all Veterans Health Administration Health Care Personnel (HCP) - See "Additional Information" below for details.

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.

• 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).

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).

Grade Determinations:

Pharmacy Technician (Newington Outpatient Automation) GS-0661-08

Experience: Candidates must possess one year of experience equivalent to the next lower grade level and demonstrate the KSAs below.

Certification: For positions above the full performance level (GS-06), the employee must pass a national certification exam and hold an active national certification through either:

• PTCB as a CPhT.

OR

• NHA as a ExCPT.

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:

• 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.

• Skill in training and orienting new and existing pharmacy facility employees and students on proper policies and procedures.

• Ability to evaluate, analyze and coordinate workflow and work activities within a specialized area or section of the pharmacy.

Assignment: Pharmacy technicians in this assignment specialize in areas such as sterile compounding, oncology, controlled substances, medication history review, clinical specialist (anticoagulation, pain, infectious diseases), clinical informatics, automation, immunizations and any other specialized area in the advancement of the profession. The pharmacy technician will serve as a subject matter expert and key resource in the day-to-day technician duties of the specialized area. In addition to managing automation, they will have knowledge, skills and abilities to cover higher level functions as applicable to the particular outpatient pharmacy setting- this can include filling controlled substance prescriptions while maintaining compliance with Drug Enforcement Agency (DEA) regulations, taking medication histories and counseling patients, triaging customer service issues/requests from call centers, managing workflow, basic inventory procurement processes and training and orienting staff in the pharmacy and particularly the specialized area to which they are assigned.

Preferred Experience: VA Outpatient Pharmacy experience.

References: See VA Handbook 5005/159 Part II Appendix G28.

Physical Requirements: Principal duties of this position require repetitive use of hands and fingers (e.g., preparing prescriptions, use of a computer keyboard, etc.). May require lifting and carrying light loads (up to 44lbs.), including boxes, equipment, medical supplies, stock boxes etc.; stooping or kneeling (e.g., to pick up items from the floor, remove and replace items on lower shelves, and to file documents in lower file drawers, etc.); sitting, walking, or standing for long periods of time (4-8 hours). Ability to operate automation. Normal ranges of hearing and vision are required to perform work and communicate effectively. An ability to perform tasks.

Education

IMPORTANT: A transcript must be submitted with your application if you are basing all or part of your qualifications on 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

Receiving Service Credit or Earning Annual (Vacation) Leave: Federal Employees earn annual leave at a rate (4, 6 or 8 hours per pay period) which is based on the number of years they have served as a Federal employee. Selected applicants may qualify for credit toward annual leave accrual, based on prior work experience or military service experience. This credited service can be used in determining the rate at which they earn annual leave. Such credit must be requested and approved prior to the appointment date and is not guaranteed.

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.

Pursuant to VHA Directive 1193.01, VHA health care personnel (HCP) are required to be fully vaccinated against COVID-19 subject to such accommodations as required by law (i.e., medical, religious or pregnancy). VHA HCPs do not include remote workers who only infrequently enter VHA locations. If selected, you will be required to be fully vaccinated against COVID-19 and submit documentation of proof of vaccination before your start date. The agency will provide additional information regarding what information or documentation will be needed and how you can request a legally required accommodation from this requirement using the reasonable accommodation process.

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.

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• Benefits

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A career with the U.S. government provides employees with a comprehensive benefits package. As a federal employee, you and your family will have access to a range of benefits that are designed to make your federal career very rewarding. Opens in a new window

Learn more about federal benefits.

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Eligibility for benefits depends on the type of position you hold and whether your position is full-time, part-time or intermittent. Contact the hiring agency for more information on the specific benefits offered.

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.