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Pharmacy Technician

Veterans Health Administration · Department of Veterans Affairs

PermanentFull-time
Location
Birmingham, AL
Salary
$65,210 – $84,770/yr
Pay grade
GS 8
Openings
1
Posted
Jun 15, 2026
Closes
Closes in 10 days

Summary

The position is for a nationally certified Pharmacy Technician who is highly specialized, efficient, motivated and customer-friendly, who can work autonomously under the guidance of a registered pharmacist, using independent judgement to perform a full range of duties. The incumbent will serve as a subject matter expert and key resource in the day-to-day technician duties of the specialized area.

Duties

Major duties for the Pharmacy Technician include but not limited to:
  • Performs essential role in preparation, compounding, dispensing, and distribution of sterile and nonsterile hazardous medication within designated sterile compounding areas.
  • Receives, reviews, and prepares physician order for cytotoxic agents and pre-medication.
  • Performs accurate product identification labeling dosage calculation, and compounding of agents by utilizing package literature, written procedural guidelines and application of specialized knowledge.
  • Successfully complete assignments and maintain annual competencies to compound hazardous and non-hazardous IV sterile preparations according to USP <795><797> and <800> standards.
  • Follows proper aseptic preparation techniques when compounding hazardous and non-hazardous medications.
  • Reviews anticipated inventory needs and notifies procurement technician in a timely manner of products required.
  • Assists in maintaining all required records related to sterile compounding.
  • Receives hazardous IV chemotherapy inventory stock according to the National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH) guidelines placing in proper storage areas, rotating stock on shelves, and removing/replacing outdated items.
  • Maintains Chemo/IV room medication inventory, compounding supplies and cleaning products to ensure availability and minimize waste.
  • Conducts daily, weekly, and monthly IV room cleaning to include check for soon to expire medications.



Work Schedule: 8 hour shifts between 6:00am and 6:00pm, with rotating weekends, holidays, evenings and night hours.
Telework: Not available
Virtual: This is not a virtual position.
Functional Statement #: 60069F
Relocation/Recruitment Incentives: Not Authorized
Permanent Change of Station (PCS): Not Authorized.

Qualifications

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.
  • Certification. For positions above the full performance level, the employee must pass a national certification exam and hold an active national certification through either:
    • 1) Pharmacy Technician Certification Board (PTCB), Certified Pharmacy Technician (CPhT), OR
    • 2) National Health career Association (NHA), Certified Pharmacy Technician (ExCPT).

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).

Pharmacy Technician, GS-07

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

Grade Determinations: GS -08
  1. Experience. Candidates must possess one year of experience equivalent to the next lower grade level and demonstrate the KSAs below.
  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 the following KSAs for all GS-08 assignments and meet any additional KSAs for the assignment, if indicated:
    • 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.

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.

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: http://ope.ed.gov/accreditation/. 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: https://sites.ed.gov/international/recognition-of-foreign-qualifications/.

Requirements

  • 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 (https://www.uscis.gov/i-9-central/form-i-9-acceptable-documents). Effective May 7, 2025, driver's licenses or state-issued dentification cards that are not REAL ID compliant cannot be utilized as an acceptable form of identification for employment.
  • Must pass pre-employment medical evaluation.
  • 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.

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