Career Center

The primary duty of the incumbent is to provide assistance to Chief of Pharmacy, in the professional and administrative management for all technical activities in the Inpatient Pharmacy. The incumbent assists with the development and coordination of inpatient technician pharmacy programs & workflow. The incumbent provides assistance with and serves as an assistant pharmacy service liaison to professional, technical, and administrative staff from other services within the medical center. 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. Education or Experience. A high school diploma or equivalent; or at least 3 months experience. Certification. Certification by the National Pharmacy Technician Certification Board (PTCB) is required at grades GS-6 and above. Loss of Credential. An employee in this occupation who fails to obtain licensure/certification/registration within the required time frame, or who fails to maintain the required licensure/certification/registration must be removed from the occupation, which may also result in termination of employment. For occupations which require an active credential (licensure/certification/registration) at all grade levels, at the discretion of the appointing official, an employee may be reassigned to another occupation for which he/she qualifies if a placement opportunity exists. For occupations which require an active credential (licensure/certification/registration) in assignments above the full-performance level only, at the discretion of the appointing official, an employee may remain at an appropriate lower grade level in the occupation when both of the following apply: the credential is not a requirement and a placement opportunity exists." Grade Determinations: In addition to the basic requirements for employment, the following criteria must be met when determining the grade of candidates:(a) GS-7 Experience. One year experience at the next lower level and must fully meet the KSAs at the next lower level. In addition, the candidate must demonstrate the following technical KSAs and the potential to acquire the assignment specific KSAs designated by an asterisk (*): Preferred Experience: One year of experience in an inpatient pharmacy is preferred. References: VA Handbook 5005/15, Part II, Appendix G28, Pharmacy Technician Qualification Standards, Dated March 17, 2006. The full performance level of this vacancy is a GS-07 . Physical Requirements: Heavy Lifting (45lbs and over); Heavy Carrying (45lbs and over); Reaching above shoulder; Use of fingers; Both hands required; Walking (4 hours); Standing (4 hours); Both legs required; Ability for rapid mental and muscular coordination simultaneously; Both eyes required; Depth perception; Ability to distinguish shades of colors; Hearing (aid permitted). See VA Directive and Handbook 5019. ["Duties may include but are not limited to: Assists in formulating monthly duty schedules and the daily direction of pharmacy technicians. Manages daily assignments of workload for pharmacy technicians, and reviews work for appropriateness, timeliness and accuracy. Performs final verification of unit dose orders, including cart fill, without secondary review & simple , non-sterile compounds prepared by lower level technicians. Responsible for performing all aspects of pharmacy technicians duties as described in Pharmacy Technician , GS-0661-5 and 6. These include, but are not limited to: preparation of sterile compounded products, unit dose distribution, ward stock distribution & operation of automated equipment. Participates in performance improvement projects especially related to workflow with pharmacy staff and with coordination and the approval of the Pharmacy Service Program Directors. Maintains current knowledge of all pharmacy policies & procedures & will be responsible for on-the-job training for new employees in accordance with current policies and procedures. Uses effective and tactful verbal communication and performs other duties as assigned by the supervisory pharmacist. Provides feedback on training progress & performance of technicians to the Program Director, Inpatient Pharmacy. Assesses workflow and work volume and assists the Program Director, Inpatient Pharmacy, in documenting formal justification for additional pharmacy technicians as necessary. Acts as a participating member of the interview team for new technician positions. Reviews and analyzes various reports in order to assist the Chief of Pharmacy or pharmacy operations supervisor, with efficient cost-containment decisions. Establishes and maintains record keeping systems to ensure accuracy of data input and output. Shares responsibility for maintaining adequate drug stock, efficient material management, maintenance of records, inventory control and storage of pharmaceuticals. Assists with the planning and implementation of new inpatient programs and projects consistent with the needs of the department and the medical center. Participates in quality improvements activities for Inpatient Pharmacy Section. Works with other services and sections to accomplish these activities. Applies quality improvement tools to increase quality, decrease waste, lower operating budgets, and improve customer service. Provides support for other duties as assigned. Work Schedule: Varies, depending on staffing needs with some weekends and holidays as needed in rotation\nTelework: Not Available\nVirtual: This is not a virtual position.\nFunctional Statement #: FS 000000\nRelocation/Recruitment Incentives: Not Authorized\nPermanent Change of Station (PCS): Not Authorized\nFinancial Disclosure Report: Not required"]