Pharmacy Technician

The VA St. Louis Health Care System is seeking a Pharmacy Technician for inpatient and outpatient settings. The pharmacy technician is responsible for receiving, filling, and distributing outpatient prescriptions, filling inpatient medications, participation in inventory control, and collections of data for statistical purposes. NOTE: The 2-page Resume requirement does not apply to this occupational series. For more information, refer to Required Documents below.

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: None required. 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). Foreign Education: To be creditable, education completed outside the U.S. must be deemed at least equivalent to that gained in a conventional U.S. program by a private organization specializing in the interpretation of foreign educational credentials. 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 GS-3 Pharmacy Technician: Education and Experience One year of post-secondary education, OR, Six months of general experience, OR, Student Technician. A student enrolled in an approved nationally accredited pharmacy technician program for an occupation identified in 38 U.S.C. 7405(a)(1 )(A) or (B) may be appointed on a temporary full-time, part-time or intermittent basis under the provisions of 38 U.S.C. 7405(a)(1 )(D) for a period not to exceed two years or the duration of the individual's program Assignment Employees at the entry-level are developmental trainees. The pharmacy technician trainee is performing routine pharmacy duties under direct supervision of higher graded technicians to learn the basic functions of pharmacy operations. GS-4 Pharmacy Technician: Education and Experience: Completion of two years of post-secondary coursework related to pharmacy (e.g., 12 semester hours of science and mathematics courses), OR, Completion of one of the following: Six months of experience, that demonstrated knowledge of of medication or medical field practice, OR, Successful completion of a military or nationally recognized pharmacy technician education/training program. American Society of Health System Pharmacists® (ASHP), American Pharmacist Association (APHA), Accreditation Council for Pharmacy Education (ACPE), PTCB or NHA are examples of acceptable professional organizations recognizing such training programs. NOTE: Training courses recognized by PTCB and NHA are not actual certifications, OR, One year of experience equivalent to the next lower grade level. Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities: In addition to the education or experience above, the candidate must demonstrate the following KSAs: Ability to follow policies and procedures. Ability to maintain appropriate files. Ability to communicate with patients and other health professionals. Ability to follow both written and verbal instructions. Ability to operate office software/equipment to include, computers, software applications and printers. Assignments: Employees at this grade level serve in a pharmacy technician developmental position. Pharmacy technicians at this level perform duties such as dispensing prescriptions at the pharmacy window and prepacking medications. GS-5 Pharmacy Technician: Education or Experience: Successful completion of four years post-secondary education with courses related to pharmacy (e.g., 48 semester hours of science, mathematics, pharmacy) or a bachelor's degree, OR, An associate's degree in pharmacy technician or technology (48 semester hours of concentrated pharmacy technician training), OR, One year of experience equivalent to the next lower grade level. Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities (KSAs): In addition to the education or experience above, the candidate must demonstrate the following KSAs: Knowledge of basic pharmacy operations. Knowledge of pharmaceuticals to perform duties in pharmacy functional areas. Knowledge of pharmaceutical nomenclature (including generic, chemical and proprietary names of drug). Ability to fill prescriptions. Ability to use pharmacy information systems or basic pharmacy dispensing equipment with oversight. Assignments: Pharmacy technicians at this developmental level perform all duties expected of employees at lower grade levels; however, they are expected to exercise greater judgement, require less supervision and operate in accordance with all established policies and procedures. Pharmacy technicians at this grade level will fill orders and dispense/deliver medications using automated systems. These technicians require oversight of assigned duties by full performance level technicians and or pharmacists. GS-6 Pharmacy Technician: Education or Experience: One year of experience equivalent to the next lower level. Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities (KSAs): In addition, the candidate must demonstrate the following KSAs: Knowledge of Federal and state laws related to pharmacy practice. Knowledge of preparation, storage and distribution of medication products including those requiring special handling and documentation. Ability to use pharmacy information systems or operate pharmacy dispensing equipment. Knowledge of basic inventory procedures. Ability to communicate with patients and staff and direct questions to appropriate personnel. Assignments: Pharmacy technicians at the full performance level may fill orders, dispense/deliver medications using automated systems or provide technical customer service to Veterans related to prescription needs. Duties will include delivery of medications to floors/patients, filling medications for the pharmacist to review, checking for expired medications, answering phones with appropriate disposition, preparing sterile products (when applicable) and assisting with basic inventory management such as putting up stock and identifying when medications need to be ordered. Reference: For more information on this qualification standard, please visit https://www.va.gov/ohrm/QualificationStandards/. The full performance level of this vacancy is GS-6. The actual grade at which an applicant may be selected for this vacancy is in the range of GS-3 to GS-6. Physical Requirements: None