Pharmacy Technician; Procurement

Summary

The incumbent is responsible for all prescription and nonprescription medications and supply purchasing and inventory in the highly complex area of Pharmacy at Battle Creek VA Medical Center and/or Wyoming VA Clinic. Primary duties consist of pharmaceutical and supply order initiation - proper receipt of shipments - and compliance with product and storage requirements and has independent purchase responsibilities.

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.

• 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
• 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)
• English Language Proficiency
• Candidates must be proficient in spoken and written English to be appointed as authorized by 38 U.S.C. 7403(f)
• 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)
• Creditable
  
  Experience:
  
  To be creditable - a candidate must possess the required knowledge - skills and abilities (KSAs) associated with the scope of pharmacy technician practice. The candidate's experience must be evidenced by active professional practice (Active professional practice means paid/non-paid employment as a professional pharmacy technician.)
• General
  
  Experience:
  
  (1) Any type of work that demonstrates the applicant's ability to perform the work of the position - or (2) experience that provided a familiarity with the subject matter or processes of the broad subject area of the occupation. Successful completion of a course for medical technicians - hospital corpsmen - medical service specialists or hospital training obtained in a training program given by the Armed Forces or the U.S. Maritime Service under close medical and professional supervision is creditable on a month-for-month basis for general experience.
• Part-Time
  
  Experience:
  
  Part-time experience is creditable according to its relationship to the full-time work week. For example - one week of full-time credit is equivalent to two weeks of half-time work.
• Quality of
  
  Experience:
  
  Qualifying experience must be at a level comparable to pharmacy technician experience at the next lower grade level.
• Specialized
  
  Experience:
  
  Experience that equipped the applicant with the particular knowledge - skills and abilities (KSAs) to successfully perform the duties of the position and is typically in - or related to - the work of the position to be filled. To be creditable - specialized experience must have been equivalent to at least the next lower grade level. Applicants who have one year of appropriate specialized experience are not required to have general experience - education above the high school level or any additional specialized experience to meet the minimum qualification requirements.
  
  Successful completion of pertinent specialized training courses in pharmaceutical and pharmacy practices while serving in the Armed Forces is creditable on a month-for-month basis up to the one year of specialized experience.
• Grade Determinations GS-08 Pharmacy Technician (Procurement/Inventory)
  
  Experience:
  
  Candidates must possess one year of experience equivalent to the next lower grade level GS-07. Examples of qualifying experience include - but are not limited to: work autonomously using independent judgement to perform a full range of duties - mentor and train lower graded pharmacy technicians in the practice setting - assist advanced/specialized pharmacy technicians and participate in performance improvement initiatives - function as staff pharmacy technicians in various locations of the pharmacy - including pharmacy contact centers and other non-traditional pharmacy locations - with minimal oversight.
• Knowledge
  - Skills and Abilities
  
  (KSAs):
  In addition to the experience above - the candidate must demonstrate the following KSAs: (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.) (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 (d) Basic knowledge of pharmacy procurement - distribution and…