EHRM Pharmacy Technician (Inventory Automation and Supply Specialist)

The employees work will involve performing various procurement support duties involved in the use of different and unrelated procedures and methods. The incumbent(s) will spend the majority of time (over 80%) correlating transactions that are not completely standardized; dealing with continually changing deadlines and priorities; completing assigned functions that are relatively broad and varied. The employee will use different established procedures to monitor inventory and automation request item descriptions for accuracy and adequacy; and will then monitor the status of the completion. The employee will review and reconcile various documents and records and resolve a variety of problems through the coordination with personnel.

1. Coordinates the technical aspects of pharmacy drug distribution activities to ensure standard operating procedures are in alignment with automation capabilities so that efficiencies are maximized. Incumbent is instrumental in recommending changes for the improvement of the workflow work methods and priorities involved within the drug distribution system.
2. Evaluates and analyzes workflow and coordinates all work activities involved with Pharmacy inventory/supply and automation. This will involve trouble shooting regularly gathering data analyzing and interpreting VA data and formulating action plans.
3. Ensures that inventory/supply automated dispensing data is archived within established guidelines for each type of equipment.
4. Assists in determining ordering intervals and stock levels appropriate to meet changes in formulary brand to AB rated generic drugs contract changes conversions new drug indications including backorders and seasonal changes
5. Utilizes proper inventory management to ensure sufficient stock of medications and supply are available to meet the needs of the pharmacy and patient care.
6. Removes expired medications from stock and processes them for safe removal according to VHA Directives and standard operating procedures.
7. Ability to participate in process actions teams to improve inventory/automation/supply quality and safety continually seeking ways to improve the service provided to patients and other customers.
8. Resolves problems and complaints regarding all pharmacy and automated dispensing automation troubleshoots problems with all automated dispensing equipment when production is compromised and alerts appropriate personnel.
9. Has oversight responsibility of the user files of all automated dispensing systems.
10. Has oversight responsibility for the addition of new items and deletion of obsolete items from all automated dispensing systems.
11. Ensures that equipment is cleaned and maintained to minimize downtime.
12. Trains and orients pharmacy staff and other medical center staff involved in operating the automation.
13. Provides data for workload reports and process improvement projects to appropriate supervisors.
14. Thoroughly understands VA Pharmacy procurement and formulary and uses this knowledge to appropriately manage Pharmacy automation equipment.
15. Thoroughly understands investigational drug policies and procedures if applicable as they relate to Pharmacy automation equipment.
16. Thoroughly understands controlled substance policies and procedures including controlled substance inspection process discrepancies and resolution.
17. Attends regulatory meetings regarding all inventory/automation and supplies and provides learned knowledge to the pharmacy staff.
18. Maintains a clean working environment and updates shelf labels as contracts dictate.
19. Assists in training and orients new personnel volunteers students the technical phases of operations.
20. Possesses technical working knowledge and follows established policies and procedures of usage rates stock levels inventory maintenance concepts including just-in-time inventory and assist in annual or semiannual pharmacy wall-to-wall inventory.
21. Possesses technical knowledge of all aspects of drug characteristics and nomenclature for procurement and stock maintenance including:
    1. Generic and brand names.
    2. Dosage forms.
    3. Various systems of weights and measures.
    4. Drug product codes.
    5. Drug AB rating equivalence.
22. Incumbent must maintain training requirements national pharmacy technician certification and meet annual competencies required for this position.

Work Schedule: Generally an 8-hour tour Monday through Friday between the hours of 6:00am - 4:00pm. Rotating: 6:00am - 2:30pm and 7:30am - 4:00pm. Tour of Duty varies based on the needs of the service.
Telework: Not Suitable
Virtual: This is not a virtual position
Functional Statement #: 00738F
Relocation/Recruitment Incentives: Not Authorized
Financial Disclosure Report: Not required

Conditions of employment

• You must be a U.S. Citizen to apply for this job.
• All applicants tentatively selected for VA employment in a testing designated position are subject to urinalysis to screen for illegal drug use prior to appointment. Applicants who refuse to be tested will be denied employment with VA.
• Selective Service Registration is required for males born after 12/31/1959.
• Must be proficient in written and spoken English.
• Subject to background/security investigation.
• Selected applicants will be required to complete an online onboarding process. Acceptable form(s) of identification will be required to complete pre-employment requirements ( Effective May 7 2025 drivers licenses or state-issued dentification cards that are not REAL ID compliant cannot be utilized as an acceptable form of identification for employment.
• Must pass pre-employment physical examination.
• Participation in the seasonal influenza vaccination program is a requirement for all Department of Veterans Affairs Health Care Personnel (HCP).
• Complete all application requirements detailed in the Required Documents section of this announcement.

As a condition of employment for accepting this position you will be required to serve a 1 or 2-year trial period during which we will evaluate your fitness and whether your continued employment advances the public determining if your employment advances the public interest we may consider:

• your performance and conduct;
• the needs and interests of the agency;
• whether your continued employment would advance organizational goals of the agency or the Government; and
• whether your continued employment would advance the efficiency of the Federal service.

Upon completion of your trial period your employment will be terminated unless you receive certification in writing that your continued employment advances the public interest.

Qualifications

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.
• English Language Proficiency: Pharmacy Technician candidates must be proficient in spoken and written English to be appointed as authorized by 38 U.S.C 7403(f).
• Certification: For positions above the full performance level the employee must pass a national certification exam and hold an active national certification through either: Pharmacy Technician Certification Board (PTCB) Certified Pharmacy Technician (CPhT).
• OR; National Health career Association (NHA) Certified Pharmacy Technician (ExCPT).

IN ADDITION TO MEETING THE BASIC REQUIREMENTS LISTED ABOVE YOU MUST MEET THE FOLLOWING GRADE REQUIREMENTS TO QUALIFY FOR THIS POSITION.

GS-8 Grade Requirements:
Experience: You must have at least 1 year of experience equivalent to the next lower grade level (GS-7). Experience includes but is not limited to: Work autonomously using independent judgement to perform a full range of duties. These pharmacy technicians mentor and train lower graded pharmacy technicians in the practice setting. They assist advanced/ specialized pharmacy technicians and participate in performance improvement initiatives. At this level pharmacy technicians use independent judgement to perform the full range of duties in the pharmacy. They also function as staff pharmacy technicians in various locations of the pharmacy including pharmacy contact centers and other non-traditional pharmacy locations with minimal oversight.

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 as a CPhT. OR NHA as a ExCPT.

Knowledge Skills and Abilities (KSAs): In addition to the experience above the candidate must demonstrate all of the following KSAs:
1. Comprehensive knowledge of concepts principles methodology and policies in a specialized area or section of pharmacy (such as sterile compounding controlled substances automation clinical pharmacy contact center etc.) Note: See Specialized the Definitions Section.
2. Skill in training and orienting new and existing pharmacy facility employees and students on proper policies and procedures.
3. Ability to evaluate analyze and coordinate workflow and work activities within a specialized area or section of the pharmacy.

Preferred Experience: Previous automation or inventory management; Automation (Pyxis ES ScriptPro TCG-Rx etc.) experience preferred. Understanding of pharmacy software systems (Viewpoint Simplifi etc.).

Reference: For more information on this qualification standard please visit Requirements: See VA Directive and Handbook 5019 Employee Occupational Health Service.