Pharmacy Technician

US-Department-of-Veterans-Affair; Tallahassee (FL); On-site; USD 38,000 - 60,000; Full time

Job summary

The US Department of Veterans Affairs in Tallahassee is seeking a Pharmacy Technician to support the pharmacy department, handling prescriptions and preparing medications. The role includes using automated systems and electronic health records, delivering medications, and providing customer service to Veterans and providers.

Applicants pending required education or licensure may be referred, with final hiring contingent on meeting all requirements.

Qualifications

• One year of experience equivalent to the next lower grade.
• Equivalency for education/experience totals per grade level.
• Foreign education creditability per VA standards.

Responsibilities

• Fill orders and dispense/deliver medications using automated systems.
• Provide technical customer service to Veterans related to prescription needs.
• Deliver medications to floors/patients and assist with basic inventory.
• Prepare sterile products where applicable and support pharmacist review.
• Assist with inventory management and ensure proper handling/documentation.

Skills

Pharmacy laws

Medication handling

Pharmacy systems

Inventory procedures

Patient communication

Job description

The pharmacy technician will provide technical support services within the pharmacy department at the Tallahassee VA Clinic, including providing customer service to Veterans and providers related to prescription needs, preparing prescriptions for patients in various settings by counting, pouring, weighing, measuring, or mixing the medications, dispensing and delivering medications, and using automated systems and electronic health records.

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

Citizenship.

Be a citizen of the United States. Non-citizens may be appointed when it is not possible to recruit qualified citizens in accordance with 38 U.S.C. § 7407(a).

Education or Experience.

• None required.
• 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.

Foreign Education.

To be creditable, education completed outside the U.S. must be deemed at least equivalent to that gained in a conventional U.S. program by a private organization specializing in the interpretation of foreign educational credentials.

Grandfathering Provision.

Pharmacy technicians employed in VHA on the effective date (11/07/23) of this qualification standard are considered to have met all qualification requirements for the title, series and grade held, including positive education and licensure/certification/registration that are part of the basic requirements of the occupation.

Grade Determinations

Pharmacy Technician, GS-06.

Education or Experience. One year of experience equivalent to the next lower level.

Knowledge, Skills and Abilities (KSAs).

• Knowledge of Federal and state laws related to pharmacy practice.
• Knowledge of preparation, storage and distribution of medication products including those requiring special handling and documentation.
• Ability to use pharmacy information systems or operate pharmacy dispensing equipment.
• Knowledge of basic inventory procedures.
• Ability to communicate with patients and staff and direct questions to appropriate personnel.

Assignments.

Pharmacy technicians at the full performance level may fill orders, dispense/deliver medications using automated systems or provide technical customer service to Veterans related to prescription needs. Duties will include 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.

The full performance level of this vacancy is GS-6. The actual grade at which an applicant may be selected for this vacancy is GS-6.

Physical Requirements:

The work requires regular and recurring physical exertion involving moderate lifting/carrying (15-44 pounds) and walking/standing for 4 hours. The work also involves working with hands in water, work closely with others, ability for rapid mental and muscular coordination simultaneously, near vision correctable in one eye to 20/20 and 20/40 in the other, ability to distinguish basic colors, hearing (aid may be permitted), use of fingers, both hands required, and be emotionally and mentally stable.

Reference:

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