Pharmacy Technician - Controlled Substance

Description:

The Pharmacy Controlled Substance Technician is certified, highly specialized technician, under the Pharmacy Technician Supervisor, who is responsible for the first line management of all controlled substances handled by the pharmacy for the El Paso VA Health Care System (EPVAHCS). Mandated accountability and control of scheduled drugs make this a particularly sensitive position that is considered critical by all levels of management.

Requirements:

To qualify for this position, applicants must meet all requirements by the closing date of this announcement, 02/03/2026.

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:

1. 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.
2. 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.
3. 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.
4. 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.
5. 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.

GS-8 Grade Determination : 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 working 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; use independent judgement to perform the full range of duties in the pharmacy; 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:

• 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:

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.)
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:

• Comprehensive understanding of handling controlled substances, including proper storage, regulations, policies, and documentation requirements.
• Awareness of and adherence to ethical standards related to controlled substances.
• Exceptional attention to detail to ensure accuracy in medication preparation and record-keeping.
• Ability to work with minimal supervision while maintaining a high level of performance.
• Effective communication skills for engaging with staff, providers, and patients.
• Ability to provide outstanding customer service to patients and healthcare providers.
• Capability to train new staff, ensuring they understand procedures, policies, and regulations.
• Strong team player, contributing positively to the overall team environment.

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.