Pharmacy Technician

The Pharmacy Technician position is in the Pharmacy Department at the VA Maine Healthcare System, located at the Togus ME location. This position is Full Time at 40 hours per week. "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. 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). Certification: For positions above the full performance level, the employee must pass a national certification exam and hold an active national certification through either: Pharmacy Technician Certification Board (PTCB), Certified Pharmacy Technician (CPhT). OR; National Health career Association (NHA), Certified Pharmacy Technician (ExCPT) NOTE: A copy of your certification must be included with your application. Grade Determination: GS 8 Experience: In addition to meeting the basic requirements, you must possess at least one (1) year of experience equivalent to the next lower grade level (GS-07). Experience includes but is not limited to: Work autonomously using independent judgement to perform a full range of duties. These pharmacy technicians mentor and train lower graded pharmacy technicians in the practice setting. They assist advanced/ specialized pharmacy technicians and participate in performance improvement initiatives. At this level, pharmacy technicians use independent judgement to perform the full range of duties in the pharmacy. They also function as staff pharmacy technicians in various locations of the pharmacy, including pharmacy contact centers and other non-traditional pharmacy locations, with minimal oversight. In addition to the experience above, the candidate must demonstrate all of the following KSAs: (a) 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. (b) Skill in training and orienting new and existing pharmacy facility employees and students on proper policies and procedures. (c) Ability to evaluate, analyze and coordinate workflow and work activities within a specialized area or section of the pharmacy. References: For more information on this qualification standard, please visit https://www.va.gov/ohrm/QualificationStandards/. Physical Requirements: The work requires regular and recurring physical exertion, involving standing for a prolonged period of time, lifting/carrying/pushing of pharmaceutical supplies weighing up to 50 lb., and bending/stooping. IV room duties require manual dexterity and repetitive motions. Some of the work may be sedentary in nature. Work Environment: Work is typically performed in a clinical setting that exposes the incumbent to communicable diseases, loud noises, biohazards, hazardous chemicals and hazardous medications common in a healthcare environment. Such exposure will be mitigated in accordance with local policies and operating procedures as per USP standards, OSHA guidance and local risk assessment practices. Standard safety precautions and PPE are required and specified per local policies.