Summary

GS-7 Pharmacy Technician The incumbent functions as a Pharmacy Technician primarily in the inpatient and outpatient work areas of the Pharmacy Service within the VA Central Iowa Health Care System (VHACIHS). The 2-page Resume requirement does not apply to this occupational series. For more information - refer to Required Documents below.

Qualifications

All requirements must be met by the close date of this announcement - 06/15/2026.

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)
• 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)
• Grade Determinations: GS-7 Pharmacy Technician Experience: Candidates must possess one year of experience equivalent to the next lower grade level - GS-6. AND 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
• AND Knowledge - Skills and Abilities (KSAs): In addition to the experience above - the candidate must demonstrate all of the following KSAs: (a) Knowledge of pharmacy technician principles - practices - concepts and theories providing for sound independent work
• (b) Knowledge of the computerized prescription process and input of prescriptions and medication orders or electronic equivalent
• (c) Ability to resolve pharmacy/medication issues with other members of the healthcare team - Veterans and external customers
• (d) Ability to train developmental pharmacy technicians and students
• (e) Ability to dispense medication or sterile products following all regulations - policies and procedures to ensure safe medication distribution
• (f) Ability to troubleshoot automated dispensing equipment (ADE) or technology platforms/databases
• Preferred Experience: 1 year or more of experience as a pharmacy technician in a hospital setting including pharmacy automation equipment operation - non-sterile compounding following USP 795 guidelines - and sterile compounding in an IV room following USP 797 guidelines
• 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-7. Physical Requirements: 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.

Duties

• Total Rewards of a Allied Health Professional Duties include - but are not limited to: A
• Pharmacy Technicians at this grade level are assigned to work in the inpatient and outpatient pharmacy dispensing work areas - performing duties related to: 1
• Preparing unit-dose and bulk medication for delivery and distribution to patient care areas located throughout the main campus and off campus locations (e.g. - Community Based Outpatient Clinics)
• 2
• Preparing outpatient medication and supply prescriptions for dispensing through the outpatient Pharmacy window and mail delivery systems - including preparing packages to be mailed (regular - overnight - signature required - delivery confirmation - etc.) and receipt of returned mailed packages
• 3
• Operation of Pharmacy service automation including unit-dose packaging - automated medication dispensing - outpatient medication dispensing - non-sterile and non-hazardous sterile compounding
• 4
• Operation of the Pharmacy service phone system - including operation of phones in the local Pharmacy Phone Triage Center
• Customer service - problem solving - and phone communication skills are necessary
• 5
• Preparation of non-sterile compounding in accordance with USP <795> guidelines and requirements
• 6
• Preparation of non-hazardous sterile compounding in accordance with USP <797> guidelines and requirements in the IV room suite
• 7
• Handling of hazardous medication in accordance with USP <800> guidelines and requirements
• 8
• Demonstration of inventory management procedures and practice through the performance of medication and supply re-ordering - ward audits - cycle counts - expirations - and medication/supply recall notifications
• Pharmacy Technicians may be assigned duties as a ward audit coordinator who coordinates and reports the completion of all Pharmacy medication/supply storage locations
• 9
• Compliance with laws - rules - and all regulations governing controlled substance medication accountability - security - distribution - dispensing - and inventory
• Pharmacy Technicians may be scheduled to work in the controlled substance medication vault
• 10
• Operation of computer applications related to Pharmacy Service functions - including documentation in the patient's electronic health record when required
• 11
• Compliance with pharmaceutical waste regulations and facility GEMS programs
• Pharmacy Technicians may be assigned champion roles within the Pharmacy Service to work directly with the facility GEMS coordinator to champion service line level compliance
• 12
• Participates in Pharmacy Service quality assurance/quality improvement initiatives - documentation - tracking - and reporting
• 13
• Compliance with policies and procedures related to the All-Hazards Emergency Cache and/or facility level emergency preparedness
• 14
• May be assigned special projects and other duties by their supervisor (Pharmacy Technician Supervisor) or other member of the Pharmacy leadership team related to the Pharmacy Service and the provision of safe and effective pharmaceutical care
• B
• Training/Education: 1
• Assists with the orientation and training of new and existing Pharmacy Service staff as assigned by their supervisor or other member of the Pharmacy leadership team
• 2
• Participates in meetings - conferences - and programs that provide exposure and insight into the specialized practice area within the Pharmacy Service
• 3
• Obtains required continuing education and maintains clinical job knowledge and skills
• 4
• Maintains Pharmacy Technician certification and registration in active and good standing
• C
• Knowledge required by the position: 1
• The Pharmacy technician must have an understanding of brand names - generic names - drug formulary - storage requirements for medications - and an understanding of beyond use dating for packaged products and products prepared in the IV room
• Work Schedule: Full-time
• Monday-Friday with rotating weekends/holidays Recruitment Incentive (Sign-on Bonus): Not authorized Permanent Change of Station (Relocation Assistance): Not authorized Pay: Competitive salary and regular salary increases Paid Time Off: 37-50 days of annual paid time offer per year (13-26 days of annual leave - 13 days of sick leave - 11 paid Federal holidays per year) Parental Leave: After 12 months of employment - up to 12 weeks of paid parental leave in connection with the birth - adoption - or foster care placement of a child
• Child Care Subsidy: After 60 days of employment - full time employees with a total family income below $144 -000 may be eligible for a childcare subsidy up to 25% of total eligible childcare costs for eligible children up to the monthly maximum of $416.66
• Retirement: Traditional federal pension (5 years vesting) and federal 401K with up to 5% in contributions by VA Insurance: Federal health/vision/dental/term life/long-term care (many federal insurance programs can be carried into retirement) Telework: Not available Virtual: This is not a virtual position
• Functional Statement #: 000000