Pharmacy Technician (ProcurementInventory)

Total Rewards of a Allied Health Professional

Duties of the Pharmacy Technician (Procurement/Inventory) include but are not limited to:

• Serves as ordering officer for pharmacy service delegated by the VA National Acquisition Center (NAC) while maintaining annual training requirements
• Initiates ordering requirements of pharmaceuticals specialty and supply items through pharmacy prime vendors multi complex accounts or other mandatory sources. Responsible for adherence to federal contracts and compliance with federal regulations regarding open market ensuring inventory control through perpetual evaluation
• 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
• Procures all types of pharmaceuticals including controlled and noncontrolled drugs within established VA ordering guidelines policies and procedures within inventory management specialized area with the understanding of proper budget utilization
• Purchases using National contracts (NAT) Federal supply schedules (FSS) Blanket Purchase Agreement (BPA) and open market etc. to ensure compliance with federal acquisition regulations and policy understanding the contracting hierarchy of all purchases
• Purchases using government issued credit cards for micro purchase limits with understanding of when to use; while maintaining required proper documentation and reconciliation of receipt of all orders for auditing and accountability purposes training etc
• Reconciles all credit card purchases in a timely manner
• Maintains knowledge of principles policies and state and federal laws and regulations related to controlled substances
• Utilizes proper inventory management to ensure sufficient stock of medications and supply are available to meet the needs of the pharmacy and patient care
• Removes expired medications from stock and processes them for safe removal according to VHA Directives and standard operating procedures
• 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
• 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

• 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 identification cards that are not REAL ID compliant cannot be utilized as an acceptable form of identification for employment.
• Must pass pre-employment physical evaluation.
• 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.

• 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.

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:
1. 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).
2. 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).
3. 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.

1. Pharmacy Technician Certification Board (PTCB) Certified Pharmacy Technician (CPhT) OR
2. National Healthcareer Association (NHA) Certified Pharmacy Technician(ExCPT).

May qualify based on being covered by the Grandfathering Provision as described in the VA Qualification Standard for this occupation (only applicable to current VHA employees who are in this occupation and meet the criteria).

Grade Determinations:In addition to the basic requirements for appointment VA HR staff must use the following criteria to determine the appropriate grade assignment of candidates.

Pharmacy Technician (Procurement/Inventory) GS-8
Experience: Candidates must possess one year of experience equivalent to the next lower grade level and demonstrate the KSAs below.
Certification: For positions above the full performance level the employee must pass a national certification exam and hold an active national certification through either:

1. Pharmacy Technician Certification Board (PTCB) Certified Pharmacy Technician (CPhT) OR
2. National Healthcareer Association (NHA) Certified Pharmacy Technician (ExCPT)

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 Area in 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.
4. Basic knowledge of pharmacy procurement distribution and storage requirements to maintain a safe working environment. This includes not limited to Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) Food and Drug Administration (FDA) United States Pharmacopeia (USP) and DEA requirements and regulations.
5. Ability to assist in determining and modifying as necessary: ordering intervals inventory levels and cost-effective ordering quantities from required sources based on current financial conditions in pharmacy seasonal variations in drug usage changing patterns in medical practice delivery time requirements and urgency of medical need.