Pharmacy Technician (Compound Sterile Products Hematology/Oncology)

The duties of this position are highly specialized, encompassing a variety of complex functions in the preparation of chemotherapeutic agents and hematological therapy in the sterile compounding suite and accompanying areas of the inpatient pharmacy section at James H. Quillen VA Medical Center.

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Most of the Pharmacy Technician duties will be performed in the intravenous (IV) cleanroom suite, setting up sterile products for dispensing, making appropriate record entries, reviewing IV administration records, and assisting inspectors and other staff during routine inquires and surveys.

Expected to maintain a high degree of accurate productivity and performance while being extremely sensitive to specific contribution to total patient care. Knowledgeable with VA policy and regulatory requirements for handling and checking in shipments of drugs and supplies, as well as verifying accuracy of shipments, rotating stock and assures the proper storage of all items.

Monitors physical inventory of stocked items while maintaining appropriate levels of stock. Advises procurement leadership as to ordering trends, shortages, and outdated medications.

The duties and responsibilities of the Pharmacy Technician include the following but not limited too:

• The incumbent must be fully competent in all general inpatient technician duties including processing, preparing, and filling of unit dose, sterile non-hazardous parental medications and solutions, maintenance of IV cleanroom and pharmacy satellites, operation of automated medication dispensing systems and general workflow of the inpatient pharmacy.
• Duties will be consistently performed independently with a high degree of technical judgement, as well as extensive comprehensive, thorough working knowledge of sterile preparation for both hazardous and non-hazardous medications.
• Performs essential role in preparation, compounding, dispensing, and distribution of sterile and nonsterile hazardous and non-hazardous medication within designated sterile compounding and non-sterile preparation areas.
• Performs accurate product identification, selection, labeling dosage calculation and compounding of agents by utilizing package literature, written procedural guidelines and application of specialized knowledge.
• Receives hazardous IV chemotherapy inventory stock according to National Institute of Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH) guidelines placing in proper storage areas, rotating stock on shelves, and removing/replacing outdated items.
• Technical working knowledge of equipment and supplies used in compounding sterile products including but not limited to admixing pumps, needles, syringes, and various compounding supplies etc.
• Comprehensive knowledge and understanding of United States Pharmacopeia (USP) chapters <797>, <800>, and <795> to successfully complete assigned duties and maintain annual competencies required to compound hazardous and non-hazardous sterile preparations according to standards, EPA, NIOSH, VHA Directives, and Drug Enforcement Agency (DEA) regulations.
• Assist with editing service policy and procedures. Maintain a general knowledge of VA, DEA, and Joint Commission (JC) regulations.

Work Schedule: To be Determined by Pharmacy Service Chief
Telework: Not eligible
Virtual: This is not a virtual position.
Functional Statement #: 60509-F
Permanent Change of Station (PCS): Not authorized

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).

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.

In addition to the basic requirements, the below qualification requirements must be met at the grade in which you are applying.

Experience. For the GS-08, Pharmacy Technician must possess one year experience equivalent to the next lower grade level (GS-07). In addition to the experience above, the candidate must demonstrate all of the following KSAs:

• 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.

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.

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 involves regular and recurring physical exertion including walking, bending, prolonged standing, stooping, lifting and carrying packages weighing up to 50 pounds. Dexterity is required for the operation of Pharmacy equipment

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.