Senior Pharmacy Systems Engineer (VA ESOM)

Kentro; Charleston (SC); On-site; USD 130,000 - 165,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Healthcare benefits

401k with employer match

Education reimbursement

Paid time off

Job summary

Kentro is seeking a Senior Pharmacy Systems Engineer to support the VA ESOM contract on-site in Charleston, SC. The role combines IT specialist duties with knowledge of VA pharmacy technology to keep dispensing operations running smoothly.

The successful candidate will diagnose issues across applications, interfaces, and hardware, collaborate with vendors, and maintain system security and compliance while supporting a time-sensitive production environment.

Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree in Engineering, Mathematics, or Business Administration.
• 8+ years of experience with pharmacy information systems and pharmacy operations.
• Knowledge of Windows endpoint and server administration, Active Directory, networking, printing services, and enterprise support tooling.
• Familiarity with ITIL-aligned incident, problem, change, and configuration management practices.
• Ability to obtain and maintain the background investigation and suitability determination.

Responsibilities

• Provide first- and second-tier support for VA EHRM Outpatient Pharmacy and CMOP package functions affecting Charleston operations.
• Monitor and troubleshoot data exchange between VA medical center systems, the national CMOP hub, and site-level systems; identify transmission failures, rejected records, and data integrity issues.
• Diagnose failures at the boundary between VA applications and dispensing automation, determining whether an issue originates in the application, the interface, the network, or the equipment.
• Support pharmacy-adjacent applications and reporting tools used by CMOP leadership for workload, throughput, and quality monitoring.
• Maintain accurate asset inventory and configuration records for all in-scope equipment.
• Participate in equipment refresh, expansion, and line-reconfiguration projects, providing IT requirements and implementation support.

Skills

Pharmacy systems expertise

ITIL processes

End-user & on-site support

Vendor coordination

Cross-domain troubleshooting

Education

Bachelor’s degree in Engineering, Mathematics, or Business Administration

Tools

Active Directory

Windows Server

Networking fundamentals

ITSM tooling

Job description

Overview

Thank you for considering IT Concepts dba Kentro, where innovation drives opportunity and collaboration leads to success. Our dynamic community of experts is fully committed to advancing our customers' missions, fostering professional growth, and making a positive impact on our communities.

By joining our supportive community, you will find that Kentro is dedicated to your personal and professional development. Together, we can drive meaningful change, spark innovation, and achieve extraordinary milestones.

Kentro is hiring for an Senior Pharmacy Systems Engineer to support VA ESOM contract. Kentro is seeking a IT Specialist – Pharmacy Systems Support to provide dedicated, on-site OIT support for the information systems, automation interfaces, and infrastructure that sustain daily prescription fulfillment at the Charleston CMOP for the ESOM program. The specialist will serve as the single accountable presence embedded in a high-volume, time-sensitive dispensing operation and is expected to combine standard IT specialist competencies with working knowledge of VA pharmacy technology. The specialist will diagnose and resolve issues locally where possible, escalating accurately where necessary, and translating between pharmacy operations and VA OIT so that changes, outages, and requirements are understood correctly by both.

Location: Onsite: Charleston, SC – This position can be performed onsite in Charleston, SC and will support Eastern Time working hours.

Compensation Range: The anticipated base salary range for this position is $130,000–$165,000 annually and reflects Kentro’s good-faith expectations at the time of posting. Final compensation is determined based on the role’s requirements, relevant skills, experience, education, certifications, work location, applicable security clearance requirements, market conditions, internal equity, and contract requirements.

This Job Description reflects the primary duties of the role; however, it is not intended to be all‑inclusive. Team members may be asked to take on additional responsibilities in alignment with customer expectations, business needs, and Kentro’s culture of collaboration and adaptability.

Responsibilities

Pharmacy Application and Interface Support

• Provide first- and second-tier support for VA EHRM Outpatient Pharmacy and CMOP package functions as they affect Charleston operations, including prescription transmission queues, suspense processing, and release/return files.
• Monitor and troubleshoot data exchange between VA medical center systems, the national CMOP hub, and site-level systems; identify transmission failures, rejected records, and data integrity issues and drive them to resolution.
• Diagnose failures at the boundary between VA applications and dispensing automation, determining whether an issue originates in the application, the interface, the network, or the equipment.
• Support pharmacy-adjacent applications and reporting tools used by CMOP leadership for workload, throughput, and quality monitoring.

Automation, Hardware, and Peripheral Support

• Support the IT-dependent components of the dispensing line: barcode scanning and verification devices, label and manifest printers, workstations and thin clients on the floor, conveyor and material-handling control interfaces, and associated network connectivity.
• Serve as the local technical point of contact for automation vendors; coordinate diagnosis and remediation when a fault crosses the boundary between VA-owned and vendor-owned components, and validate vendor-recommended changes against VA configuration and security requirements.
• Maintain accurate asset inventory and configuration records for all in-scope equipment.
• Participate in equipment refresh, expansion, and line-reconfiguration projects, providing IT requirements and implementation support.

Infrastructure, Endpoint, and Access Management

• Provide endpoint, peripheral, network, and telecommunications support for the facility, coordinating with enterprise infrastructure and network operations teams as required.
• Administer user accounts, group memberships, PIV/authentication issues, and application access consistent with VA identity and access management policy and least-privilege principles.
• Support backup, recovery, and continuity arrangements for site-critical systems, and participate in continuity of operations testing.

Incident, Problem, and Change Management

• Own the intake, triage, categorization, and resolution of CMOP-related tickets, ensuring accurate classification so that reporting reflects true system impact.
• Conduct root cause analysis for recurring incidents and drive permanent corrective action rather than repeated workarounds.
• Review the OIT change calendar against the dispensing and mail-out schedule; assess and communicate operational impact, negotiate implementation windows, and coordinate on-site validation after changes.
• Serve as the local escalation coordinator during outages, providing accurate technical status to CMOP leadership and accurate operational context to VA OIT.

Cybersecurity and Compliance

• Maintain patch, configuration, and STIG compliance for in-scope assets within established VA timelines, scheduling remediation to avoid disruption to dispensing operations.
• Support security scanning, POA&M remediation, audit response, and inventory reconciliation activities.
• Ensure handling of protected health information within CMOP systems complies with HIPAA, VA Directive 6500, and applicable privacy and records management policy.
• Report suspected security incidents in accordance with VA-CSOC procedures.

Documentation, Liaison, and Continuous Improvement

• Develop and maintain runbooks, configuration baselines, escalation paths, and troubleshooting guides specific to the Charleston CMOP environment, converting undocumented tribal knowledge into retained institutional records.
• Translate operational problems reported by pharmacy staff into accurate technical requirements, enhancement requests, and escalations.
• Provide informal training and floor-level guidance to pharmacy staff on correct system use and first-response steps.
• Contribute to defined performance measures (mean time to restore, local resolution rate, unplanned downtime, change-induced incidents) and identify improvement opportunities.

Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree in Engineering, Mathematics, or Business Administration.
• 8+ years of working knowledge of pharmacy information systems and pharmacy operations sufficient to understand prescription workflow, dispensing processes, and the operational consequence of a system failure.
• Knowledge of automated dispensing, barcode verification, and material-handling technology and the interfaces connecting such equipment to host applications.
• Knowledge of Windows endpoint and server administration, Active Directory, networking fundamentals, printing services, and enterprise support tooling.
• Familiarity with ITIL-aligned incident, problem, change, and configuration management practices.
• Knowledge of federal information security requirements applicable to systems processing protected health information.
• Demonstrated ability to communicate clearly with both technical peers and non-technical operational leadership, including during high-pressure outage conditions.
• Ability to work independently as the sole on-site technical resource, exercising sound judgment on when to resolve locally and when to elevate.
• Progressively responsible experience in IT systems administration, applications support, or technical customer support, including demonstrated experience supporting a production operation where system downtime has immediate business impact.
• Demonstrated experience troubleshooting across layers — application, interface, network, and hardware — and correctly isolating fault domains.
• Experience working directly with end users in an operational or clinical setting, including translating non-technical problem reports into technical diagnoses.
• Ability to obtain and maintain the background investigation and suitability determination required for the position.

Preferred Qualifications:

• Prior direct VA EHRM Outpatient Pharmacy or CMOP experience is strongly preferred; equivalent experience with commercial pharmacy dispensing or automation systems will be considered.
• Prior VA or VHA experience, particularly with VA EHRM or CPRS operations.
• Certified Pharmacy Technician (CPhT) credential, or comparable pharmacy operations background.
• Certifications such as CompTIA A+, Network+, Security+, ITIL Foundation, or Microsoft endpoint/server credentials.
• Experience with technical documentation and knowledge base development.
• Work is performed in a combination of office and warehouse/production settings. The dispensing floor is a noisy, active environment with moving automation and conveyor equipment; appropriate personal protective equipment and safety training are required. The position requires standing and walking for extended periods, occasional lifting of equipment up to 50 pounds, bending and reaching to access equipment in racks and under conveyor lines, and close visual work on hardware and displays. Operational tempo is highest during peak dispensing windows, and the incumbent must be able to work effectively under time pressure when production is degraded.

Clearance Requirement:

• US Citizen or Lawful Permanent Resident (Green Card)
• Willing and able to obtain and maintain Public Trust Clearance
• Must meet updated ID requirements: https://www.gsa.gov/technology/it-contract-vehicles-and-purchasing-programs/federal-credentialing-services/get-appointment-help/bring-required-documents
  • If you do not currently meet the ID requirements outlined, you must be willing and able to update your current forms of ID in a timely manner to complete the suitability process successfully.

Benefits

The Company

We believe in generating success collaboratively, enabling long‑term mission success, and building trust for the next challenge. With you as our partner, let’s solve challenges, think innovatively, and maximize impact. As a valued member of our team, you have the unique opportunity to work in a diverse range of technology and business career paths, all while supporting our nation and delivering innovative technology solutions. We are a close community of experts that pride ourselves on creating an environment defined by teamwork, dedication, and excellence.

We hold three ISO certifications (27001:2013, 20000-1:2011, 9001:2015), two CMMI ML 3 ratings (DEV and SVC) and CMMC Level 2 Certification.

Industry Recognition

Growth | Inc 5000’s Fastest Growing Private Companies, DC Metro List Fastest Growing; Washington Business Journal: Fastest Growing Companies, Top Performing Small Technology Companies in Greater D.C.

Culture | Northern Virginia Technology Council Tech 100 Honoree; Virginia Best Place to Work; Washington Business Journal: Best Places to Work, Corporate Diversity Index Winner – Mid-Size Companies, Companies Owned by People of Color; Department of Labor’s HireVets for our work helping veterans transition; SECAF Award of Excellence finalist; Victory Military Friendly Brand; Virginia Values Veterans (V3); Cystic Fibrosis Foundation Corporate Breath Award

Benefits

We offer competitive benefits package including paid time off, healthcare benefits, supplemental benefits, 401k including an employer match, discount perks, rewards, and more. We invest in our employees – Every employee is eligible for education reimbursement for certifications, degrees, or professional development. Reimbursement amounts may fluctuate due to IRS limitations. We want you to grow as an expert and a leader and offer flexibility for you to take a course, complete a certification, or other professional growth and networking. We are committed to supporting your curiosity and sustaining a culture that prioritizes commitment to continuous professional development.

We work hard; we play hard. Kentro is committed to incorporating fun into every day. We dedicate funds for activities – virtual and in-person – e.g., we host happy hours, holiday events, fitness & wellness events, and annual celebrations. In alignment with our commitment to our communities, we also host and attend charity galas/events. We believe in appreciating your commitment and building a positive workspace for you to be creative, innovative, and happy.

Commitment Equal Opportunity Employment & VEVRAA

Kentro is an equal opportunity employer. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to disability, status as a protected veteran or any other status protected by applicable federal, state or local law.

Kentro is strongly committed to compliance with VEVRAA and other applicable federal, state, and local laws governing equal employment opportunity. We have developed comprehensive policies and procedures to ensure our hiring practices align with these requirements.

As part of our VEVRAA compliance efforts, Kentro has established an equal opportunity plan outlining our commitment to recruiting, hiring, and advancing protected veterans. This plan is regularly reviewed and updated to ensure its effectiveness.

We encourage protected veterans to self‑identify during the application process. This information is strictly confidential and will only be used for reporting and compliance purposes as required by law. Providing this information is voluntary and will not impact your employment eligibility.

Our commitment to equal employment opportunity extends beyond legal compliance. We are dedicated to fostering an inclusive workplace where all employees, including protected veterans, are treated with dignity, respect, and fairness.

Accommodations

To perform this job successfully, an individual must be able to perform each essential duty satisfactorily. Reasonable Accommodations may be made to enable qualified individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions. If you need to discuss reasonable accommodations, please email [e-mail].

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