Pharmacy Technician
What you'd do
At the Indian Health Service, Pharmacy Technicians do more than support the Pharmacy Department. Guided by our mission to raise the health of American Indian and Alaska Native people, you'll deliver compassionate care where it's needed most. A REAL ID will be required beginning May 7, 2025, in accordance with 6 C.F.R. 37.5 (2021).
Major duties
Total Compensation Package - Check out IHS's outstanding total compensation package for this job: Pharmacy Technician Total Compensation All Grade levels MAY NOT be available at all locations. Performs full-performance prescription preparation by selecting, counting, measuring, and packaging medications in the correct dosage forms and strengths. Operates automated dispensing, printing, labeling, and packaging systems and resolves routine equipment or workflow issues. Maintains pharmacy inventory by monitoring stock levels, rotating products, identifying shortages or overages, checking expiration dates, and recording discrepancies. Communicates clearly and professionally while maintaining confidentiality and referring all medication related clinical questions to a pharmacist.
What you need to qualify
To qualify for this position, your resume must state sufficient experience and/or education, to perform the duties of the specific position for which you are applying. Experience refers to paid and unpaid experience, including volunteer work done through National Service programs (e.g., Peace Corps, AmeriCorps) and other organizations (e.g., professional; philanthropic; religious; spiritual; community; social). You will receive credit for all qualifying experience, including volunteer and part time experience. You must clearly identify the duties and responsibilities in each position held and the total number of hours per week. BASIC REQUIREMENT(S): Individual Occupational Requirements Specialized Experience For positions at GS-4 and above: Qualifying specialized experience may have been gained in hospital pharmacies, retail pharmacies, or in pharmaceutical firms or laboratories. Experience must have provided a basic knowledge of: Pharmaceutical nomenclature; Characteristics, strengths, and dosage forms of pharmaceuticals; Pharmaceutical systems of weights and measures; and the Variety of procedures and techniques involved in the care, storage, repackaging, bulk compounding, and distribution of pharmaceuticals. OR Education and Training For GS-5: Successful completion of a full 4-year course of study leading to a bachelor's degree with major study in pharmacy, or that included at least 24 semester hours in pharmacy-related courses. Successful completion of a course for medical technicians, hospital corpsmen, medical service specialists, or hospital training obtained in a training program given by the Armed Forces or the U.S. Maritime Service under close medical and professional supervision is creditable on a month-for-month basis for general experience. Successful completion of pertinent specialized training courses in pharmaceutical and pharmacy practices while serving in the Armed Forces is creditable on a month-for-month basis up to the 1 year of specialized experience required for GS-5. In addition to the Basic Requirements, you must also meet the Minimum Qualifications stated below. MINIMUM QUALIFICATIONS: GS-5: 1 year of specialized experience equivalent to at least GS-4 grade level AND/OR 4-year course of study above high school leading to a bachelor's degree with courses related to the occupation, if required. GS-6: 1 year of specialized experience equivalent to at least GS-5 grade level. Your resume must demonstrate at least one (1) year of specialized experience equivalent to at least the next lower grade level in the Federal service obtained in either the private or public sector performing the following type of work and/or tasks: Examples of Specialized Experience GS-5: Maintaining pharmacy storeroom and hospital drug stocks. Recognizing appropriate auxiliary warnings and packaging requirements of drugs dispensed. Assisting pharmacy staff in filling out outpatient prescriptions under a pharmacist's supervision. GS-6: Performing pharmaceutical procurement and inventory management. Filling prescriptions utilizing automated dispensing equipment. Calculating doses to match physician's order with pharmacy stocks and filling prescriptions. Combining Experience and Education: Equivalent combinations of successfully completed post-high school education and experience are also qualifying. The combinations described below are those most typical for these positions, i.e., for grades GS-3 through GS-5. If education is used to meet specialized experience requirements, then such education must include courses directly related to the work of the position. (When crediting education, prorate the number of hours of related courses required as a proportion of the total education to be used.) Time In Grade Federal employees in the competitive service are also subject to the Time-In-Grade Requirements: Merit Promotion (status) candidates must have completed one year of service at the next lower grade level. Time-In-Grade provisions do not apply under the Excepted Service Examining Plan (ESEP). You must meet all qualification requirements by the respective cutoff day of rating to be eligible for consideration.
Before you apply
Federal applications are different: your resume should be 3–5 pages and mirror the language of this announcement. Read our federal resume guide first — it's the #1 reason qualified people get screened out.
Don't miss the next one.
Get an email the moment a similar federal job opens — postings can close in as little as 5 days.