Pharmacist

Indian Health Service; Cochiti (NM); On-site; USD 90,000 - 120,000; Full time

Job summary

Indian Health Service seeks a clinical pharmacist to provide direct pharmaceutical care for patients, including monitoring chronic disease states and managing acute conditions. The role emphasizes evidence-based medication decisions, patient education, and collaborative care within the IHS system.

The selected candidate will assess drug therapy, review orders, perform compounding when needed, and ensure compliance with regulatory standards.

Qualifications

• Doctoral degree in Pharmacy recognized by ACPE or equivalent.
• Valid licensure to practice pharmacy in the US (NAPLEX and MPJE).
• Medical color vision ability is required.

Responsibilities

• Monitor, modify, and evaluate drug therapy for optimal outcomes and educate patients.
• Perform sterile and non-sterile compounding, including extemporaneous formulations.
• Evaluate medication orders for appropriateness based on guidelines and patient factors.
• Dispense medications with accuracy, patient safety, and regulatory compliance.

Education

Doctoral degree in Pharmacy (Pharm.D.)

Job description

Summary

Not all locations may have immediate vacancies. Serves as a clinical pharmacist providing direct pharmaceutical care for patients within the Indian Health Service. This position is considered as the major source of pharmaceutical clinical information and is expected to manage selected patients with chronic disease states, as well as providing pharmaceutical care for acute patients.

Duties

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All Grade levels MAY NOT be available at all locations.

• Works to monitor, modify, and evaluate drug therapy for optimal therapeutic outcomes; interact with patients to obtain drug history, monitor patients' responses, educate and counsel.
• Performs pharmaceutical compounding for sterile and non-sterile preparations, including extemporaneous formulations.
• Evaluate medication orders for appropriateness based on current clinical guidelines, patient-specific factors (e.g., renal or hepatic function, age, comorbidities), drug interactions, allergies, and approved formulary options.
• Dispense medications with attention to accuracy, labeling, patient safety, and regulatory compliance.

Total Compensation Package

Check out IHS's outstanding total compensation package for this job.

Pharmacist Total Compensation | Pay (ihs.gov)

Requirements

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Conditions of employment

U.S. Citizenship is required

Selectee may be subject to a probationary period

Selective Service Registration is required for males born after 12/31/1959

This is a designated position covered by Public Law 101-630, requiring contact or control over Indian children. Due to this requirement, the agency must ensure that persons hired for these positions have not been found guilty of or pleaded nolo contendere or guilty to certain crimes.

The selected individual is required to obtain and maintain medical staff clinical privileges, including any licensure requirements. If privileges are not obtained or maintained during employment, the employee will be subject to adverse actions, up to and including removal from Federal service.

On-call hours or standby duty may be required.

Successfully pass the E-Verify employment verification check. To learn more about E-Verify, including your rights and responsibilities, visit www.dhs.gov/E-Verify/.

You will need to set up direct deposit.

Background Investigation Requirement

This position requires the successful completion of a federal background investigation as a condition of employment.

A background investigation is a standard process used by the Federal Government to verify an individual's identity, employment history, education, and other relevant information to determine suitability for Federal service.

Upon receipt of instructions, applicants must complete all required background investigation forms within five (5) calendar days of issuance. Timely completion is critical to avoid delays in processing or a determination of unsuitability.

Applicants are strongly encouraged to prioritize this requirement and to maintain regular communication with their assigned Personnel Security Specialist throughout the process.

Financial Suitability Requirement

This position requires a review of the applicant's financial history as part of the personnel security and suitability determination. Applicants must demonstrate financial responsibility, maintain good standing with creditors, and satisfy all legal financial obligations prior to applying.

Individuals with substantial delinquent or unresolved financial obligations-including, but not limited to, delinquent federal or state tax liabilities, defaulted federal student loans, court-ordered fines or fees, or child support arrears-may be deemed unsuitable for employment with the Indian Health Service (IHS).

Qualifications

To qualify for this position, your resume must state sufficient experience and/or education, to perform the duties of the specific position for which you are applying.

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; religious; spiritual; community; social). You will receive credit for all qualifying experience, including volunteer and part time experience. You must clearly identify the duties and responsibilities in each position held and the total number of hours per week.

Basic Requirement(s)

Degree: A doctoral degree in Pharmacy that is recognized by the Accreditation Council for Pharmacy Education (ACPE) or an accrediting body recognized by the U.S. Department of Education at the time the degree was obtained.

Licensure: All applicants must have passed the North Pharmacist Licensure (NAPLEX) and the Multi-state Pharmacy Jurisprudence Examination (MPJE). Applicants also must be licensed to practice pharmacy in a State, the District of Columbia, the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico, or a territory of the United States.

Medical Requirement: Must be able to distinguish basic colors.

Experience

Applicant's qualifications background must demonstrate the knowledge, skills, abilities, and competencies necessary to perform the work of the position. Pharmacy work requires knowledge of the use, clinical effects, and composition of medications, including their chemical, biological, and physical properties. Qualifying professional pharmacy experience may involve, but is not limited to:

• Dispensing medications prescribed by physicians and other health practitioners and providing information to health practitioners and patients about proper usage of medications and side effects;
• Evaluating medication use patterns and outcomes for patients in hospitals or managed care organizations;
• Performing administrative, consultative, or staff advisory work for a medical facility's pharmacy program;
• Planning, monitoring and evaluating medication programs or regimens;
• Establishing medication-handling procedures for the storage and preservation of medications;
• Researching medical literature and/or clinical medication information to provide accurate responses to inquiries; and/or
• Maintaining all medication records required by law.

Basic Requirements for the GS-11 (or equivalent) Grade Level

3 years of progressively higher level graduate education leading to a Ph.D. degree, Ph.D., Pharm.D. or equivalent doctoral degree.

Basic Requirements For The GS-12 (or Equivalent) Grade Level

In addition to the requirements for the GS-11 (or equivalent) level AND your resume must demonstrate at least one (1) year of specialized experience equivalent to the GS-11 grade level in the Federal service obtained in either the private or public sector performing the following type of work and/or tasks: Comprehensive medication therapy management, direct patient assessment, medication reconciliation, monitoring therapeutic outcomes and laboratory data, identification and resolution of drug-related problems, pharmacotherapy recommendations to providers, and participation in clinical pharmacy programs, medication-use evaluation, formulary management, quality improvement, and other applicable clinical responsibilities. You must meet all qualification requirements within 30 days of the closing date of the announcement.

Education

This position has an education requirement. You are strongly encouraged to submit a copy of your transcripts or a list of your courses including titles, credit hours completed, and grades. Unofficial transcripts will be accepted in the application package. Official transcripts will be required from all selectees prior to receiving an official offer.

Only attendance and/or degrees from schools accredited by accrediting institutions recognized by the U.S. Department of Education may be credited. Applicants can verify accreditation at the following website: https://www.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

Reasonable Accommodation (RA) Requests: If you believe you have a disability (i.e., physical or mental), covered by the Rehabilitation Act of 1973 as amended that would interfere with completing the USA Hire Competency Based Assessments, you will be granted the opportunity to request a RA in your online application. Requests for RA for the USA Hire Competency Based Assessments and appropriate supporting documentation for RA must be received prior to starting the USA Hire CompetencyBased Assessments. Decisions on requests for RA are made on a case-by-case basis. If you meet the minimum qualifications of the position, after notification of the adjudication of your request, you will receive an email invitation to complete the USA Hire Competency Based Assessments, based on your adjudication decision. You must complete all assessments within 48 hours of receiving the URL to access the USA Hire Competency Based Assessments if you received the link after the close of the announcement. To determine if you need a RA, please review the Procedures for Requesting a Reasonable Accommodation for Online Assessments. (https://appsupport-usastaffing.opm.gov/hc/en-us/sections/45063131363475-Reasonable-Accommodation-Information)

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. IHS may offer newly-appointed Federal employees credit for their directly related previous non-federal experience or active duty uniformed military service. This credited service can be used in determining the rate at which they earn annual leave.

Recruitment or relocation incentives may be authorized. At least a 6 month service agreement will be required.

The Indian Health Service (IHS), National Health Service Corps (NHSC), And The Health Resources And Services Administration (HRSA) Have Student Loan Repayment Programs For Qualifying Health Disciplines. This Is a Competitive Process Separate From The Hiring Process. Opportunities For LRP Are Based On Agency Hiring Priorities And Availability Of Funds. For Additional Information Please Visit

For IHS - http://www.ihs.gov/loanrepayment/

For NHSC - https://nhsc.hrsa.gov/loanrepayment/

You will be evaluated for this position in accordance with the OPM Merit Hiring Plan.

As part of the application process, you will be asked to provide short essay responses (200 words or less each) to the following four questions.

• How has your commitment to the Constitution and the founding principles of the United States inspired you to pursue this role within the Federal government?
• In this role, how would you use your skills and experience to improve government efficiency and effectiveness?
• In this role, you will be expected to professionally and efficiently implement executive direction. Provide an example where you implemented leadership direction on a strategy or policy decision that differed from your own recommendation.
• How has a strong work ethic contributed to your professional, academic or personal achievements?
• Your responses are optional and will not be scored.
• However, they may be reviewed by hiring managers and agency leadership (or designees) during the evaluation process.
• You will be asked to certify that your responses are written in your own words and that you did not use a consultant or artificial intelligence (AI) tool (such as ChatGPT or Copilot).

Candidates should be committed to improving the efficiency of the Federal government, passionate about the ideals of our American republic, and committed to upholding the rule of law and the United States Constitution.

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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.