Pharmacy Technician - Outpatient

Summary

Professional certified outpatient pharmacy technician at Southern Arizona Veterans Affairs Healthcare System supports outpatient and clinic areas by performing a range of pharmacy services. The technician handles tasks such as operating automation systems, stocking, deliveries, inventory checks, controlled substance management, hazardous drug handling, packaging, and dispensing.

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Duties

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• Ensures proper storage and security of medications and supplies per USP, VA, and local guidelines, including high-risk and hazardous items.
• Accurately prepares prescriptions using pre-packaged meds, ScriptPro, Eyecon, and bulk packaging for pharmacist verification.
• Operates and maintains pharmacy automation, following safety and QA protocols; reports issues promptly.
• Troubleshoots automation problems and coordinates repairs with supervisors, vendors, or IT as needed.
• Performs and documents monthly inspections of medication storage areas, ensuring compliance and reporting concerns.
• Participates in quality improvement initiatives and workgroups.
• Prepares unit-dose meds for pharmacist check and automated stocking.
• Receives and inspects deliveries, reconciles invoices, updates records, and reports issues.
• Restocks dispensing areas and communicates inventory needs.
• Collaborates with Inventory Specialists on stock issues.
• Assists in training staff, students, and residents.
• Maintains clean, organized workspaces and proper stock placement.
• Ensures safe disposal of pharmaceutical waste.
• Understands and follows downtime procedures.
• Follows all regulations for controlled substance handling, storage, and dispensing.
• Maintains strict accountability using the electronic controlled substance system.
• Prepares and processes controlled substance requests, including mail orders, ensuring proper storage and handling.
• Performs required back counts during all controlled substance transactions.
• Collects prescriptions from clinics and verifies documentation as needed.
• Receives controlled substances into the vault per policy.
• Completes bi-weekly inventories and helps resolve discrepancies.
• Assists with inspections and destruction processes.
• Reports unresolved discrepancies to the supervisor.
• Verifies patient identity using two identifiers and documents receipt with electronic signature.
• Dispenses prescriptions using VISTA, ScriptPro, and barcode scanning to ensure accuracy.
• Tubes prescriptions to hospital areas using correct codes and logs verification in ScriptPro/POSID.
• Fills mail prescriptions, separating those needing special handling or pharmacist verification.
• Uses SAVAHCS mail systems (e.g., USPS, UPS) to choose cost-effective shipping methods.
• Resolves special handling or address issues with pharmacists or patients.
• Packages and sorts mail accurately, ensuring proper handling and delivery method.
• Generates USPS/UPS shipping labels and verifies accuracy with another technician.
• Resolves delivery issues using VA systems or by contacting patients directly.
• Restocks meds for clinics and CBOCs using automation and restock reports.
• Uses policies and usage data to maintain proper stock levels.
• Inspects clinic storage areas, removes expiring meds, and restocks as needed.
• Ensures compliance with drug storage, signage, and security standards.

Work Schedule : Rotating Shifts Monday through Friday between 7:00AM and 6:00PM, with rotating weekend (Saturday/Sunday 8:00AM-4:30PM and holiday coverage.

Telework : Not Available

Virtual: This is not a virtual position.

Functional Statement # : 000000

Relocation/Recruitment Incentives : Not Authorized

Permanent Change of Station (PCS): Not Authorized

Requirements

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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, driver's 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 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 interest. In 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

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. (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.
• 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)

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, the following criteria must be used when determining the appropriate grade assignment of candidates.

Pharmacy Technician, GS-07.

(1) Experience. Candidates must possess one year of experience equivalent to the next lower grade level.

(2) Certification. For positions above the full performance level, the employee must pass a national certification exam and hold an active national certification through either:

• (a) PTCB as a CPhT.OR
• (b) NHA as a ExCPT.

(3) Knowledge, Skills and Abilities (KSAs). In addition to the experience above, the candidate must demonstrate all of the following KSAs:

• (a) Knowledge of pharmacy technician principles, practices, concepts and theories providing for sound independent work.
• (b) Knowledge of the computerized prescription process and input of prescriptions and medication orders or electronic equivalent.
• (c) Ability to resolve pharmacy/medication issues with other members of the healthcare team, Veterans and external customers.
• (d) Ability to train developmental pharmacy technicians and students.
• (e) Ability to dispense medication or sterile products following all regulations, policies and procedures to ensure safe medication distribution.
• (f) Ability to troubleshoot automated dispensing equipment (ADE) or technology platforms/databases.

Reference: For more information on this qualification standard, please visit

Physical Requirements: The work requires the regular and recurring use of a computer monitor and prolonged periods of sitting. However, based on the secondary duty assignments, the work may require regular and recurring physical exertion, involving standing for prolonged periods of time, walking, lifting/carrying of pharmaceutical supplies weighing up to 40 pounds and bending/stooping.

Education

Note: Only education or degrees recognized by the U.S. Department of Education from accredited colleges, universities, schools, or institutions may be used to qualify for Federal employment. You can verify your education here: If you are using foreign education to meet qualification requirements, you must send a Certificate of Foreign Equivalency with your transcript in order to receive credit for that education. For further information, visit:

Additional information

Receiving Service Credit for Earning Annual (Vacation) Leave: Federal Employees earn annual leave at a rate (4, 6 or 8 hours per pay period) which is based on the number of years they have served as a Federal employee. Selected applicants may qualify for credit toward annual leave accrual, based on prior work experience or military service experience. This credited service can be used in determining the rate at which they earn annual leave. Such credit must be requested and approved prior to the appointment date and is not guaranteed.

During the application process you may have an option to opt-in to make your resume available to hiring managers in the agency who have similar positions. Opting in does not impact your application for this announcement, nor does it guarantee further consideration for additional positions.

This job opportunity announcement may be used to fill additional vacancies.

This position is in the Excepted Service and does not confer competitive status.

VA encourages persons with disabilities to apply. The health-related positions in VA are covered by Title 38, and are not covered by the Schedule A excepted appointment authority.

If you are unable to apply online or need an alternate method to submit documents, please reach out to the Agency Contact listed in this Job Opportunity Announcement.

Under the Fair Chance to Compete Act, the Department of Veterans Affairs prohibits requesting an applicant's criminal history prior to accepting a tentative job offer. For more information about the Act and the complaint process, visit Human Resources and Administration/Operations, Security, and Preparedness (HRA/OSP) at The Fair Chance Act.

Candidates should be committed to improving the efficiency of the Federal government, passionate about the ideals of our American republic, and committed to upholding the rule of law and the United States Constitution.

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A career with the U.S. government provides employees with a comprehensive benefits package. As a federal employee, you and your family will have access to a range of benefits that are designed to make your federal career very rewarding. Opens in a new windowLearn more about federal benefits.

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Eligibility for benefits depends on the type of position you hold and whether your position is full-time, part-time or intermittent. Contact the hiring agency for more information on the specific benefits offered.