Pharmacy Technician (Procurement/Inventory)

Full Job Description

This position is located within the Procurement Section, Pharmacy Service with the El Paso Veterans Affairs Health Care System (ELPVAHCS).

The primary duties of this position consist of inventory management, which consists of purchasing, receiving, stocking, restocking medical rooms, coordinating redistribution and destruction of medications and medical supplies.

To qualify for this position, applicants must meet all requirements by the closing date of this announcement, 02/20/2026.

Basic Requirements: Citizenship - You must be a citizen of the United States English Language Proficiency - You must be proficient in spoken and written English in accordance with 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 (GS-07 and above): 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).

National Healthcareer Association (NHA), Certified Pharmacy Technician (ExCPT). Grandfather Provision.

A Pharmacy Technician employed in VHA on the effective date of the qualification standard (11/7/2023) are considered to have met all qualification requirements for the title, series and grade held, including positive education and licensure/certification/registration that are part of the basic requirements of the occupation.

For employees who do not meet all the basic requirements in this standard but who met the qualifications applicable to the position at the time they were appointed to it, the following provisions apply: Employees may be reassigned, promoted up to and including the full performance (journey) level or changed to lower grade within the occupation but may not be promoted beyond the journeyman level or placed in supervisory or managerial positions.

Employees in an occupation that requires a licensure/certification/ registration only at higher grade levels must meet the licensure/ certification/registration requirement before they can be promoted to those higher grade levels.

Employees who are appointed on a temporary basis prior to the effective date of the qualification standard may not have their temporary appointment extended or be reappointed on a temporary or permanent basis until they fully meet the basic requirements of the standard.

Employees who are converted to title 38 hybrid status under this provision and subsequently leave the occupation lose protected status and must meet the full VA qualification standard requirements in effect at the time of re-entry to the occupation.

Employees initially grandfathered into this occupation who subsequently obtain additional education and/or licensure/certification/registration that meet all the basic requirements of this qualification standard must maintain the required credentials as a condition of employment in the occupation.

Grade Determinations: In addition to meeting the basic requirements, to qualify for the GS-08 you must possess at least 1 year of experience equivalent to the next lower grade level (GS-07).

Experience includes Knowledge of pharmacy technician principles, practices, concepts and theories providing for sound independent work; Knowledge of the computerized prescription process and input of prescriptions and medication orders or electronic equivalent; Ability to resolve pharmacy/medication issues with other members of the healthcare team, Veterans and external customers; Ability to train developmental pharmacy technicians and students; Ability to dispense medication or sterile products following all regulations, policies and procedures to ensure safe medication distribution; Ability to troubleshoot automated dispensing equipment (ADE) or technology platforms/databases.

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).

National Healthcareer Association (NHA), Certified Pharmacy Technician (ExCPT). Knowledge, Skills and Abilities (KSAs).

In addition to the experience above, the candidate must demonstrate the following technical 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.

Basic knowledge of pharmacy procurement, distribution and storage requirements to maintain a safe working environment.

This includes not limited to Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA), Food and Drug Administration (FDA), United States Pharmacopeia (USP) and DEA requirements and regulations.

Ability to assist in determining and modifying as necessary: ordering intervals, inventory levels and cost-effective ordering quantities from required sources based on current financial conditions in pharmacy, seasonal variations in drug usage, changing patterns in medical practice, delivery time requirements and urgency of medical need.

Preferred Experience: One to two years of experience working as procurement technician managing inventory, purchasing, receiving, stocking, and coordinating medication redistribution and destruction.

Experience communicating directly with the manufactures and pharmaceutical representatives to maintain sufficient supplies to meet the needs of the patient.

Experience with formulary process, utilizing prime vendor proficiently to assure ordering from Federal Supply Service items first whenever possible 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-8.

Physical Requirements: Physical aspects associated with work required of this assignment are typical for the occupation and would generally not require a pre-placement examination. Major Duties:

Total Rewards of a Allied Health Professional Inventories and orders medications necessary for daily prescription filling through the outpatient pharmacy, controlled substances and other products as required for Pharmacy Service.

Contains comprehensive knowledge of the procurement and formulary process.

Initiates procurement requests for all drugs, medical and surgical supplies and other specialized medical devices handled by pharmacy, which are either stocked or special ordered.

Purchases will be made based on stock levels from Prime Vendor, direct from pharmaceutical companies, and other vendors.

Utilizes the prime vendor program proficiently to assure ordering of Federal Supply Service items first whenever possible.

After prescription/order(s) are reviewed by a pharmacist for therapeutic propriety, reviews orders for technical accuracy and converts the order, if necessary, so that the item dispensed corresponds to the drug and dose ordered.

Controls costs by monitoring and maintaining inventory levels and purchasing lowest cost appropriate items from wholesaler.

Maintains processes and methodologies to track spending and stay within pharmacy budget.

Places orders using VA credit card, reconciles charges within IFCAP and US Bank, and maintains all purchase card records. Places orders via Contracting through a Contract, VA Form 2237.

Assures that items procured are paid for in a timely and appropriate manner.

Communicates directly with the manufacturer, pharmaceutical representatives, or both in maintaining sufficient supplies to meet the needs of the Medical Center for medications that are in short supply, either on a regional or national basis, and uses this information to coordinate patient care activities with drug availability and delivery schedules in coordination with the pharmacy supervisors.

Answers questions from pharmacy and non-pharmacy personnel regarding drug distribution.

Identifies basic therapeutic problems such as duplicate therapy with drugs in the same class and alerts the pharmacist to the possible need for clinical intervention.

The incumbent may coordinate or assist with and is recognized as the expert in identifying and ordering medical supplies.

As necessary, communicates directly with providers and patients to ascertain needs and makes ordering adjustments.

The incumbent will modify medical supply devices as appropriate and possible to meet specific patient care needs.

Monitors and analyzes ordering and distribution patterns to identify questionable circumstances, inappropriate ordering of supplies not found on the national formulary and unusual trends.

Conducts regularly scheduled inventories of medical supplies.

Assist Pharmacy staff with any concerns regarding medical supplies and provides training to all Pharmacy staff and students on the medical supply usage and new product availability.

Checks the order against the Bill of Lading and invoice or packing slip for accuracy. Notes any backordered, or damaged items and tries to obtain the item from another source.

The incumbent receives supplies and checks receipts against requisitions. Checks for and resolves any shortages, breakage, deterioration, and short expiration dates.

Works with vendor to replace missing/damaged items. Incumbent's duties require familiarity with entire range of drugs and services available within the pharmacy.

Performs all the duties of a lower graded technician, if required. Performs other duties as assigned.

Assists in other patient care areas as deemed necessary to maintain the consistency and timeliness of overall pharmacy services. Work Schedule: Monday - Friday 8:00 a.m. - 4:45 p.m.

Relocation Incentive: 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: Ad-hoc Available Virtual: This is not a virtual/remote position.