Pharmacy Technician (Inpatient Oncology)

The Long Beach VA Health Care System is recruiting for (2) Pharmacy Technician (Inpatient Oncology) positions. The incumbent demonstrates a comprehensive knowledge of concepts, principles, methodology, and policies of hazardous sterile compounding. This position requires thorough knowledge and understanding of VA, United States Pharmacopeia (USP-800), Joint Commission, and Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) regulations regarding hazardous medication handling.

VA Careers - Pharmacy: https://youtube.com/embed/Fn_ickNBEws

Duties may include but are not limited to:

• Performs various complex technical functions following USP-800 guidelines for compounding hazardous sterile preparations.
• Maintains extensive working knowledge of oncology medications, safety rules and regulations, and monitoring parameters as required.
• Demonstrates competencies in handling hazardous medications, compounding procedures, and sterile technique through actual work performance and completes all required sterile compounding competencies and certifications about hazardous sterile compounding, appropriate gowning, and cleaning procedures.
• Handles hazardous waste appropriately, including using personal protective equipment if necessary, according to federal and state regulations and VA requirements as applicable.
• Receives delivered hazardous medications and other items for inpatient use. Stocks received hazardous pharmacy deliveries. Maintains appropriate records and documentation.
• Conducts and maintains appropriate inventory and stock of hazardous medications and supplies used for hazardous sterile compounding. Continually review hazardous medication usage patterns to assist in potential cost containment and savings.
• Routinely reviews the computer medication profile for prescription duplication, therapeutic duplication, noncompliance, poly-pharmacy problems, and allergies/adverse drug reactions. Reports identified problem patients to the assigned clinical pharmacy specialist for evaluation. Communicates changes in medications/diet and any abnormal laboratory findings to the hematology/oncology pharmacist.
• Ensures that all drug items, and chemicals are stored correctly, that an appropriate storage area is maintained, and that stock is rotated.
• Consults with the pharmacy procurement team, manufacturers, and wholesalers regarding product selection, availability, changes, contracts, pricing, drug returns/exchanges, and backorders. Is empowered to take required actions to resolve drug problems relating to backorders, delinquencies, returns, drug recalls, purchasing errors, and emergency drug procurement procedures.
• Works independently to maintain all stock levels and works with pharmacy procurement to initiate and transact purchase requests through the prime vendor for their pharmacy section.
• Delivers medications and sterile preparations to wards/clinics promptly and ensures those products are received and stored appropriately (e.g., refrigeration and medication room). Upon delivery, the incumbent must also remove any discontinued or expired medications and/or sterile preparations from the wards/clinics to be returned to the pharmacy for proper disposition (redistribution, return for credit, or disposal).
• Accurately fills all AMSDDs and participates in quality assurance activities and audits (e.g., recalls, expiration dates, quantity corrections, and bin assignment/un-assignment). The process will include pulling medications from the central pharmacy area, maintaining accurate inventory, completing, and filing reports, loading medications into (individual) dispensing units in patient care areas and clinics, and troubleshooting automation problems.
• Actively participates in the Daily Management System (DMS). Reports on performance improvement activities' progress, monitor metrics and participates in departmental meetings.
• Ability to resolve pharmacy/medication issues with other members of the healthcare team and Veterans by regularly acting as the first-line communication between the pharmacy service and medical staff to serve patients' needs either in-person or over a communication device (e.g., telephone, Vocera, MS Teams, and pagers).
• Assists in general cleaning of equipment, shelving, and work area to maintain cleanliness and orderliness of the pharmacy. Has working knowledge of all pharmaceutical equipment used in the pharmacy setting. Exercises prudence and care in its operation and assists with routine equipment maintenance.
• As needed, the incumbent will work with, support, and substitute for other inpatient technicians during staffing shortages.
• Maintains comprehensive knowledge of concepts, principles, methodology, and policies in the hematology/oncology clinic and infusion center. Additionally, the incumbent should maintain the ability to evaluate, analyze, and coordinate workflow and work activities within these areas.

Work Schedule: Variable shifts
Telework: Not Available
Virtual: This is not a virtual position.
Functional Statement #: 000000
Relocation/Recruitment Incentives: Not Authorized
Permanent Change of Station (PCS): Not Authorized

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:

• Citizenship. Be a citizen of the United States. Non-citizens may be appointed when it is not possible to recruit qualified citizens in accordance with 38 U.S.C. § 7407(a).
• 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 Healthcareer 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).Grade Determinations: Pharmacy Technician, GS-08.

• Experience. Candidates must possess one year of experience equivalent to the next lower grade level and demonstrate the KSAs below.
• 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.
• 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:
  • (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
• Assignments. For all assignments above the full performance level, the higher-level duties must consist of significant scope, complexity and range of variety and be performed by the incumbent at least 25% of the time. Pharmacy technicians at this level have a higher level of responsibility for specialized areas of pharmacy and are expected to independently carry out assigned tasks of considerable difficulty. Pharmacy technicians at this grade level may be appointed to one of the following assignments:
  • Pharmacy Technician. Pharmacy technicians in this assignment specialize in areas such as sterile compounding, oncology, controlled substances, medication history review, clinical specialist (anticoagulation, pain, infectious diseases), clinical informatics, automation, immunizations and any other specialized area in the advancement of the profession. The pharmacy technician will serve as a subject matter expert and key resource in the day-to-day technician duties of the specialized area. The technician will be performing assignments such as compounding sterile products, filling controlled substance prescriptions while maintaining compliance with Drug Enforcement Agency (DEA) regulations, taking medication histories and counseling patients, managing automation, managing workflow and training and orienting staff in the specialized area.

Preferred: Experience in handling/sterile compounding of Hazardous medications; Experience with Direct Patient Care.

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/sitting for prolonged periods of time, lifting/carrying of pharmaceutical supplies weighing up to 40 lbs., and bending/stooping. The work may entail repetitive wrist movement while using various size syringes, vial cap removal, and typing.

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/.

• 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 identification cards that are not REAL ID compliant cannot be utilized as an acceptable form of identification for employment.
• 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.