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
• 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)
• 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 Health career Association (NHA), Certified Pharmacy Technician (ExCPT)
• IN ADDITION TO MEETING THE BASIC REQUIREMENTS LISTED ABOVE, YOU MUST MEET THE FOLLOWING GRADE REQUIREMENTS TO QUALIFY FOR THIS POSITION
• GS-8 Grade Requirements: Experience: You must have at least 1 year of experience equivalent to the next lower grade level (GS-7)
• Experience includes but is not limited to: Work autonomously using independent judgement to perform a full range of duties
• These pharmacy technicians mentor and train lower graded pharmacy technicians in the practice setting
• They assist advanced/ specialized pharmacy technicians and participate in performance improvement initiatives
• At this level, pharmacy technicians use independent judgement to perform the full range of duties in the pharmacy
• They also function as staff pharmacy technicians in various locations of the pharmacy, including pharmacy contact centers and other non-traditional pharmacy locations, with minimal oversight
• Certification: For positions above the full performance level, the employee must pass a national certification exam and hold an active national certification through either: PTCB as a CPhT
• OR NHA as a ExCPT
• Knowledge, Skills and Abilities (KSAs): In addition to the experience above, the candidate must demonstrate all of the following KSAs: 1
• 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
• 2
• Skill in training and orienting new and existing pharmacy facility employees and students on proper policies and procedures
• 3
• Ability to evaluate, analyze and coordinate workflow and work activities within a specialized area or section of the pharmacy
• Preferred Experience: Previous automation or inventory management
• Automation (Pyxis ES, ScriptPro, TCG-Rx, etc.) experience preferred
• Understanding of pharmacy software systems (Viewpoint, Simplifi, etc.) Reference: For more information on this qualification standard, please visit https://www.va.gov/ohrm/QualificationStandards/
• Physical Requirements: See VA Directive and Handbook 5019, Employee Occupational Health Service.