Pharmacy Technician - Inpatient/Outpatient

U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs; Sheridan (WY); On-site; USD 52,000 - 65,000; Full time

Job summary

U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs is seeking a Pharmacy Technician to perform complex duties including inpatient medication preparation, IV admixtures, sterile products, and automated dispensing in a hospital/clinical setting. The role involves clinical duties across inpatient and outpatient pharmacy with rotating assignments.

The position emphasizes verification, safety, training of technicians and students, and adherence to USP/VA guidelines. Schedule is typically 7:30 am–4 pm, Monday–Friday.

Qualifications

• United States Citizenship - non‑citizens may be appointed only 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).
• 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.
• Certification for positions above the full performance level – the employee must pass a national certification exam and hold an active national certification through either PTCB (Certified Pharmacy Technician, CPhT) or NHA (Certified Pharmacy Technician, ExCPT).
• Foreign Education – 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.
• Grade Determinations: Pharmacy Technician – GS‑07 – Experience Candidates must possess one year of experience equivalent to the next lower grade level.
• Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities (KSAs) - candidates must demonstrate all of the following: (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.
• Reference: For more information on this qualification standard – please visit https://www.va.gov/ohrm/QualificationStandards/.
• Physical Requirements – The position provides services to patients and their families. Incumbents must be physically and mentally able to efficiently perform the essential functions of the position without hazard to themselves or others. This includes visual acuity with the ability to read typewritten characters without strain (corrective lenses permitted), keen hearing, clear distinctive speech, manual dexterity, and the ability to reach above shoulder level. Lifting and carrying may involve 15–44 pounds. The position requires long periods of sitting, standing, and walking. The incumbent must be flexible, sensible, and able to work effectively in stressful situations and shift priorities based on patient needs.

Responsibilities

• Resolve pharmacy/medication issues with other members of the healthcare team – Veterans and external customers.
• Train developmental pharmacy technicians and students.
• Dispense medication or sterile products following all regulations, policies, and procedures to ensure safe medication distribution.
• Troubleshoot automated dispensing equipment (ADE) or technology platforms/databases.
• Interpret, fill, and prepare prescriptions with appropriate medications and/or medical supplies for pharmacist verification.
• Maintain work areas in a clean and orderly condition by ensuring all stock and equipment are in assigned places and all shelves and counters are free of dust and debris to create optimal work areas.
• Assure drugs and supplies are stored and secured according to USP and VA guidelines, including high‑risk, look‑alike/false‑label, hazardous, corrosive, flammable, and refrigerated items.
• Receive, check, rotate, and place all items received from pharmacy procurement both in stock, identifying and reconciling any discrepancies to assure correct items have been received.
• Utilize automated dispensing equipment available to the pharmacy staff following all safety and QA procedures.
• Report automation malfunctions timely to the supervisor as appropriate.
• Record expiration dates in the automatic prescription dispensing system upon receipt.
• Perform monthly inspections of assigned areas to ensure proper storage of medications and remove soon‑to‑expire drugs.
• Complete inspection reports in compliance with regulatory requirements.
• Compound and/or reconstitute oral or external medications (non‑sterile).
• Answer questions from pharmacy and non‑pharmacy personnel regarding drug distribution.
• Identify basic therapeutic problems.
• Assist in training and orientation of new staff technicians, interns, and students.
• Assume an active role in the overall pharmacy‑training program consisting of students, externs, interns, residents, and professional and non‑professional staff members.
• Demonstrate the ability to work under a variety of circumstances to maximize group productivity and quality.
• Perform duties of all lower grade technicians as needed.
• Participate in performance improvement initiatives for pharmacy.
• Assist in quality improvement activities by participating in assessment and action teams that will improve service as assigned.
• Complete all National, VISN, local, and Pharmacy mandatory trainings in a timely manner.
• Follow USP 797/800 Guidelines for the compounding of all sterile preparations, hazardous, large & small volume IV solutions, PCAs, etc.
• Manufacture uncomplicated and/or complicated parenteral admixtures to be delivered in the form of large volume – small volume – infusion syringe or other as required.
• Interpret physician orders, select, and measure appropriate ingredients, mix ingredients in a safe and effective manner, inspect the final product for accuracy, suitability, and elegance, label the product, maintain records of the manufacturing process, and supply the product for pharmacist verification and delivery.
• Use standard protocols to determine an accurate expiration date for each batch prepared.
• Work schedule: 7:30 am–4 pm, Monday–Friday.
• Recruitment/Relocation Incentive (Sign‑on Bonus): May be authorized.
• Permanent Change of Station (Relocation Assistance): Not authorized.
• Pay: Competitive salary and regular salary increases; a higher step rate 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 off per year (13–26 days of annual leave, 13 days of sick leave, 11 paid federal holidays). 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 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 (up to a monthly maximum of $416.66).
• Retirement: Traditional federal pension (5 years vesting) and Federal 401(k) with up to 5% VA contributions.
• Insurance: Federal health, vision, dental, term life, long‑term care (many federal insurance programs can be carried into retirement).
• Telework: Not available. Virtual work is not available for this position.
• Functional Statement #: 59275A.
• Permanent Change of Station (PCS): Not authorized.

Skills

Pharmacy principles

Prescription processing

Team collaboration

Training/mentoring

Dispensing safety

ADE troubleshooting

Education

Education/Experience equivalency

Job description

Summary

Pharmacy Technician is assigned clinical duties and rotating through assignments in both inpatient and outpatient pharmacy. Responsibilities include complex pharmacy service functions such as inpatient medication preparation and distribution, sterile intravenous admixture preparation, automated equipment use and maintenance, filling of outpatient controlled substances for pharmacist verification, mail order reject assessment, and other complex duties.

Qualifications

• United States Citizenship - non‑citizens may be appointed only 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).
• 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.
• Certification for positions above the full performance level – the employee must pass a national certification exam and hold an active national certification through either PTCB (Certified Pharmacy Technician, CPhT) or NHA (Certified Pharmacy Technician, ExCPT).
• Foreign Education – 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.
• Grade Determinations: Pharmacy Technician – GS‑07 – Experience Candidates must possess one year of experience equivalent to the next lower grade level.
• Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities (KSAs) - candidates must demonstrate all of the following: (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.
• Reference: For more information on this qualification standard – please visit https://www.va.gov/ohrm/QualificationStandards/.
• Physical Requirements – The position provides services to patients and their families. Incumbents must be physically and mentally able to efficiently perform the essential functions of the position without hazard to themselves or others. This includes visual acuity with the ability to read typewritten characters without strain (corrective lenses permitted), keen hearing, clear distinctive speech, manual dexterity, and the ability to reach above shoulder level. Lifting and carrying may involve 15–44 pounds. The position requires long periods of sitting, standing, and walking. The incumbent must be flexible, sensible, and able to work effectively in stressful situations and shift priorities based on patient needs.

Duties

• Resolve pharmacy/medication issues with other members of the healthcare team – Veterans and external customers.
• Train developmental pharmacy technicians and students.
• Dispense medication or sterile products following all regulations, policies, and procedures to ensure safe medication distribution.
• Troubleshoot automated dispensing equipment (ADE) or technology platforms/databases.
• Interpret, fill, and prepare prescriptions with appropriate medications and/or medical supplies for pharmacist verification.
• Maintain work areas in a clean and orderly condition by ensuring all stock and equipment are in assigned places and all shelves and counters are free of dust and debris to create optimal work areas.
• Assure drugs and supplies are stored and secured according to USP and VA guidelines, including high‑risk, look‑alike/false‑label, hazardous, corrosive, flammable, and refrigerated items.
• Receive, check, rotate, and place all items received from pharmacy procurement both in stock, identifying and reconciling any discrepancies to assure correct items have been received.
• Utilize automated dispensing equipment available to the pharmacy staff following all safety and QA procedures.
• Report automation malfunctions timely to the supervisor as appropriate.
• Record expiration dates in the automatic prescription dispensing system upon receipt.
• Perform monthly inspections of assigned areas to ensure proper storage of medications and remove soon‑to‑expire drugs.
• Complete inspection reports in compliance with regulatory requirements.
• Compound and/or reconstitute oral or external medications (non‑sterile).
• Answer questions from pharmacy and non‑pharmacy personnel regarding drug distribution.
• Identify basic therapeutic problems.
• Assist in training and orientation of new staff technicians, interns, and students.
• Assume an active role in the overall pharmacy‑training program consisting of students, externs, interns, residents, and professional and non‑professional staff members.
• Demonstrate the ability to work under a variety of circumstances to maximize group productivity and quality.
• Perform duties of all lower grade technicians as needed.
• Participate in performance improvement initiatives for pharmacy.
• Assist in quality improvement activities by participating in assessment and action teams that will improve service as assigned.
• Complete all National, VISN, local, and Pharmacy mandatory trainings in a timely manner.
• Follow USP 797/800 Guidelines for the compounding of all sterile preparations, hazardous, large & small volume IV solutions, PCAs, etc.
• Manufacture uncomplicated and/or complicated parenteral admixtures to be delivered in the form of large volume – small volume – infusion syringe or other as required.
• Interpret physician orders, select, and measure appropriate ingredients, mix ingredients in a safe and effective manner, inspect the final product for accuracy, suitability, and elegance, label the product, maintain records of the manufacturing process, and supply the product for pharmacist verification and delivery.
• Use standard protocols to determine an accurate expiration date for each batch prepared.
• Work schedule: 7:30 am–4 pm, Monday–Friday.
• Recruitment/Relocation Incentive (Sign‑on Bonus): May be authorized.
• Permanent Change of Station (Relocation Assistance): Not authorized.
• Pay: Competitive salary and regular salary increases; a higher step rate 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 off per year (13–26 days of annual leave, 13 days of sick leave, 11 paid federal holidays). 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 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 (up to a monthly maximum of $416.66).
• Retirement: Traditional federal pension (5 years vesting) and Federal 401(k) with up to 5% VA contributions.
• Insurance: Federal health, vision, dental, term life, long‑term care (many federal insurance programs can be carried into retirement).
• Telework: Not available. Virtual work is not available for this position.
• Functional Statement #: 59275A.
• Permanent Change of Station (PCS): Not authorized.