Pharmacy Technician (2409) - Citywide - H00013

Pharmacy Technician (2409) - Citywide

The Department of Public Health prioritizes equitable and inclusive access to quality healthcare for its community and values the importance of diversity in its workforce. All employees at the Department of Public Health work to advance equity, inclusion, and diversity with a specific lens and focus on race, ethnicity, gender, sex, sexuality, disability, and immigration status.

The Mission of the San Francisco Department of Public Health (SFDPH) is to protect and promote the health of all San Franciscans. Fulfilling this mission requires employees working across our hospitals, clinics, programs, and offices to deliver services and support the communities we serve. Individuals interested in joining SFDPH should expect to work in person across these settings.

The San Francisco Health Network, Population Health, Behavioral Health Services, and Administration are the core divisions of SFDPH. The San Francisco Health Network is the City's only complete system of care and has locations throughout the City, including Zuckerberg San Francisco General Hospital and Trauma Center, Laguna Honda Hospital and Rehabilitation Center, and over 15 primary care health centers. The Population Health Division (PHD) provides core public health services for the City and County of San Francisco: health protection, health promotion, disease and injury prevention, and disaster preparedness and response. Behavioral Health Services operates in conjunction with SFHN and provides a range of mental health and substance use treatment services.

Positions are located throughout the Department of Public Health including Zuckerberg San Francisco General Hospital & Trauma Center (ZSFG), San Francisco County Jails, both in San Francisco and in San Bruno, Community Behavioral Health Services, as well as various clinics and Health Centers located throughout the City and County of San Francisco. Some positions may require employees to work directly with individuals within locked jails and psychiatric facilities, the homeless population and individuals who may have or may be carriers of infectious/communicable diseases.

Under the supervision of a pharmacist, the Pharmacy Technician supports the provision of pharmaceutical care to patients served by the San Francisco Department of Public Health. Assists registered pharmacists in performing nonprofessional duties in an institutional pharmacy; receives, inspects, stores, and fills orders for pharmaceutical supplies. Nature of work involves continuous close attention to detail and some potential exposure to hazardous substances.

Essential Duties

• Accurately prepares unit dose medications, compounds a variety of pharmaceuticals under the supervision of a Pharmacist, including intravenous admixtures according to proper aseptic technique and in accordance with, professional standards and departmental policies and procedures, in order to maintain required levels of supply and to provide patients with needed medications;
• Prepares or repackages drugs and pharmaceuticals under the supervision of a Pharmacist, in amounts needed to fill written orders/prescriptions in order to provide patients with needed medication and to maintain required levels of supply;
• Prepares medication labels based on written orders from physicians and other professional staff according to California State Board of Pharmacy requirements;
• Records billing information for accurate and appropriate billing of patients for medications, involving use of desktop computer keyboard for entering medication orders and billing information;
• Maintains drug and pharmaceutical stock levels by counting and checking stores of drugs and pharmaceuticals against standard, pre-set stock levels, ordering and verifying deliveries against invoices to ensure accuracy;
• Inspects and stores delivered stock in the pharmacy patient care areas by sorting and shelving them for optimal retrieval;
• Delivers, retrieves, and exchanges medications and pharmaceutical items to and from specified areas, or for dispensing by cart to ensure that clinical and patient needs are met;
• Provides information to patients, public and other healthcare providers within the scope of Technician activities through a variety of methods, including personal contact, at the Pharmacy window, in patient care areas, and by telephone or video. This does not include medication counseling or providing drug information;
• Orients and trains new personnel, pharmacy students, or others on departmental policies and procedures appropriate to a Technician's scope of work;
• Uses, maintains, and troubleshoots automated dispensing equipment or relevant pharmacy-related software and other equipment necessary for pharmacy operations;
• Accurately prepares, dispenses, and documents controlled substance orders, and maintains accurate inventory records.
• The 2409 Pharmacy Technician may perform other duties as assigned/required.

Minimum Qualifications

One (1) year (equivalent to 2,000 hours) of experience (in the last 5 years) assisting in the preparation of drug and pharmaceutical items in a licensed pharmacy AND possession of a valid Pharmacy Technician License/Registration issued by the California State Board of Pharmacy. (Please attach a copy)

Substitution: Possession of a valid Intern Pharmacist License/Registration issued by the California State Board of Pharmacy may substitute for the required experience and license.

One year of full-time employment is equivalent to 2,000 hours (2,000 hours of qualifying work experience is based on a 40-hour work week).

Required experience will be counted from the month and year you submit your application, going back the number of years specified in the recency requirement above.

Possible Special Conditions (some positions may require the following):

1. One (1) year of experience assisting in the preparation of drug and pharmaceutical items in a licensed inpatient pharmacy within the last five years.
2. Six (6) months of experience in database application support, operational support, software installation and maintenance, and performance tuning for multi-departmental and enterprise systems.
3. The ability to obtain and maintain security clearance with the San Francisco Sheriff's Department.

Verification of Education and Experience: Every application is reviewed to ensure that you meet the minimum qualifications as listed in the job ad. Review SF Careers Employment Applications for considerations taken when reviewing applications.

Applicants may be required to submit verification of qualifying education and experience at any point during the recruitment and selection process. If education or experience verification is required, information on how to verify education and experience requirements, including verifying foreign education credits or degree equivalency, can be found at

Note: Falsifying one's education, training, or work experience or attempted deception on the application may result in disqualification for this and future job opportunities with the City and County of San Francisco.

Additional Information

After application submission, candidates deemed qualified must complete all subsequent steps to advance in this selection process, which includes the following.

Minimum Qualification Supplemental Questionnaire (MQSQ): Candidates will be required to complete an MQSQ as part of the employment application. This MQSQ is designed to obtain specific information regarding an applicant's experience in relation to the Minimum Qualifications (MQ) for this position. The MQSQ will be used to evaluate if the applicant possesses the required minimum qualifications.

Training and Experience Evaluation (Weight: 100%): Candidates must achieve a passing score on the Training and Experience exam in order to continue in the selection process and will be placed on the confidential eligible list in rank order according to their final score. The Training and Experience Evaluation exam is designed to measure the knowledge, skills, and abilities in job related areas which may include but not be limited to: Knowledge of the methods and procedures involved in the proper handling, dispensing and storing of pharmaceutical materials; Knowledge of basic labeling, measuring and weighing devices; Ability to take accurate arithmetical computations; Ability to understand and carry out oral and written instructions; Ability to keep accurate records; Ability to lift and move heavy objects.

Candidates must achieve a passing score on the Training and Experience Evaluation exam in order to continue in the selection process and will be placed on the confidential eligible list in rank order according to their final score.

Additional selection processes may be conducted by the hiring department prior to making final hiring decisions.

Certification: The certification rule for the eligible list resulting from this examination will be the Rule of the List.

Eligible List/Score Report

A confidential eligible list of applicant names that have passed the civil service examination process will be created and used for certification purposes only. An examination score report will be established, so applicants can view the ranks, final scores and number of eligible candidates. Applicant information, including names of applicants on the eligible list, shall not be made public unless required by law. However, an eligible list shall be made available for public inspection, upon request, once the eligible list is exhausted or expired and referrals resolved. The eligible list/score report resulting from this civil service examination process is subject to change after adoption (e.g., as a result of appeals), as directed by the Human Resources Director or the Civil Service Commission.

Candidate names will remain on the list for a maximum period of 12 months. Candidates that are not selected and expire off the list may re-apply.

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