Pharmacy Technician

Description:

The Pharmacy Technician supports the VA Close-to-Me program which allows select infusions to be administered in the Community-Based Outpatient Clinics. This position functions primarily in Pharmacy Service within the Fargo VA Health Care System (VAHCS). Responsibilities include but not limited to: performing all aspects of sterile compounding, inventory management and procurement, and operating pharmacy automation.

Requirements:

To qualify for this position, applicants must meet all requirements by the closing date of this announcement, 11:59 PM (ET) on 05/07/2025 .

Pharmacy Technician 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.
• 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 Healthcareer Association (NHA), Certified Pharmacy Technician (ExCPT).
• 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.
• 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 :

GS 8 Pharmacy Technician

• Experience Requirement: 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). AND
• Knowledge, Skills and Abilities: In addition to meeting the experience for the GS-08 level, you must possess the following Knowledge, Skills and Abilities
  • 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.)
  • Skill in training and orienting new and existing pharmacy facility employees and students on proper policies and procedures.
  • Ability to evaluate, analyze and coordinate workflow and work activities within a specialized area or section of the pharmacy

Preferred Experience: Sterile compounding, pharmacy automation, procurement

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-08.

Physical Requirements: The work requires regular and recurring physical exertion, involving standing or sitting for prolonged periods of time, typing, walking distances within the medical center, lifting/carrying (up to 40 pounds) of pharmaceutical supplies, and bending/stooping/stretching. You will be asked to participate in a pre-employment examination or evaluation as part of the pre-employment process for this position. Questions about physical demands or environmental factors may be addressed at the time of evaluation or examination.