Pharmacy Technician - Controlled Substance

Veterans Health Administration • Phoenix, AZ

1d • Onsite

About The Position

The Controlled Substance Pharmacy Technician provides the technical and ancillary support to the professional staff to fill controlled substance outpatient prescriptions and/or inpatient orders. The purpose of the work is to provide significant technical expertise and support of the pharmacy operation and enhance the efficiency and effectiveness of the staff. The Controlled Substance pharmacy technician ensures controlled substances are purchased, dispensed, and always secured appropriately.

30 Day Hiring Model
The Department of Veterans Affairs is implementing a streamlined 30-Day Hiring Model designed to accelerate hiring while maintaining the highest standards of merit-based selection. This improved process reduces traditional hiring timelines by integrating early coordination, faster assessments, and efficient pre-employment actions. Applicants can expect a more transparent, predictable, and efficient hiring journey from announcement to entry on duty.

What Applicants Can Expect
Expedited Candidate Review: Once the announcement closes, Human Resources will quickly review applications, issue certificates of eligible candidates the day after the announcement closes and refer applicants for hiring manager consideration.
Quick Interviews & References: HR may arrange interviews and will request references within 3-5 days after being referred to the hiring manager.
Streamlined Pre-Employment Requirements: Following a tentative offer, applicants should be prepared to complete required steps, such as fingerprinting and background check, credentialing, and medical examination within 3 days of the offer.
Clear and Timely Communication: Applicants will receive clear communication at key milestones, including referral, tentative offer, and onboarding instructions. After meeting pre-employment requirements, candidates will receive a final job offer and start date. Onboarding tasks may continue after starting, with HR ensuring timely completion for a smooth transition into VA service. If selected, applicants should be prepared to come onboard within 30 days of the announcement closing.

Requirements

• Must be a U.S. Citizen to apply for this job.
• All applicants tentatively selected for VA employment in a testing designated position are subject to urinalysis to screen for illegal drug use prior to appointment. Applicants who refuse to be tested will be denied employment with VA.
• Selective Service Registration is required for males born after 12/31/1959.
• Must be proficient in written and spoken English.
• Subject to background/security investigation.
• Selected applicants will be required to complete an online onboarding process.
• Acceptable form(s) of identification will be required to complete pre-employment requirements (https://www.uscis.gov/i-9-central/form-i-9-acceptable-documents).
• Effective May 7, 2025, driver's licenses or state-issued identification cards that are not REAL ID compliant cannot be utilized as an acceptable form of identification for employment.
• Must pass pre-employment physical examination.
• Participation in the seasonal influenza vaccination program is a requirement for all Department of Veterans Affairs Health Care Personnel (HCP).
• Complete all application requirements detailed in the "Required Documents" section of this announcement.
• As a condition of employment for accepting this position, you will be required to serve a 1 or 2-year trial period during which we will evaluate your fitness and whether your continued employment advances the public interest.
• 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.
• 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)
• Education and/or Experience Combination: 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.
• 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).
• Grade Determinations: Pharmacy Technician, GS-08. Applicants must have 1 year of experience equivalent to the next lower grade level and demonstrate the KSAs below.
• In addition to the experience above, the candidate must demonstrate the following KSAs for all GS-08 assignments and meet any additional KSAs for the assignment, if indicated:
• 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.
• 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.
• Assignment: For all assignments above the full performance level, the higher-level duties must consist of significant scope, complexity and range of variety and be performed by the incumbent at least 25% of the time.
• Pharmacy technicians at this level have a higher level of responsibility for specialized areas of pharmacy and are expected to independently carry out assigned tasks of considerable difficulty.
• Pharmacy technicians at this grade level may be appointed to one of the following assignments: Pharmacy Technician.
• Pharmacy technicians in this assignment specialize in areas such as sterile compounding, oncology, controlled substances, medication history review, clinical specialist (anticoagulation, pain, infectious diseases), clinical informatics, automation, immunizations and any other specialized area in the advancement of the profession.
• The pharmacy technician will serve as a subject matter expert and key resource in the day-to-day technician duties of the specialized area.
• The technician will be performing assignments such as compounding sterile products, filling controlled substance prescriptions while maintaining compliance with Drug Enforcement Agency (DEA) regulations, taking medication histories and counseling patients, managing automation, managing workflow and training and orienting staff in the specialized area.
• 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-08.
• The work requires regular and recurring physical exertion, involving standing or sitting for prolonged periods of time, typing, walking distances within the medical center, lifting/carrying (45 pounds and greater) of pharmaceutical supplies, and pushing/bending/stooping/stretching.
• Only education or degrees recognized by the U.S. Department of Education from accredited colleges, universities, schools, or institutions may be used to qualify for Federal employment.
• If you are using foreign education to meet qualification requirements, you must send a Certificate of Foreign Equivalency with your transcript in order to receive credit for that education. For further information, visit: https://sites.ed.gov/international/recognition-of-foreign-qualifications/

Nice To Haves

• The technician will be performing assignments such as compounding sterile products, filling controlled substance prescriptions while maintaining compliance with Drug Enforcement Agency (DEA) regulations, taking medication histories and counseling patients, managing automation, managing workflow and training and orienting staff in the specialized area.

Responsibilities

• Routinely fills Schedule II through Schedule V controlled substance prescriptions and/or orders for Phoenix VA patients.
• In outpatient setting, routinely prepares controlled substance prescriptions for mailing and ensures accurate documentation of shipping.
• Utilizes VistA controlled substance and automation inventory software packages to account for each dose of controlled substance from the time it is received into the vault to the time it is dispensed to the patient.
• Also utilizes software packages to expedite the ordering and dispensing process and keep inventory current, sufficiently supplied, and always indate.
• Routinely utilizes pharmacy automation and understands how to troubleshoot these systems. This includes report generation, transaction review, and any other duties that may be required to handle controlled substance inventory.
• Follows VA and facility policy to ensure separation of duties for ordering, receipt, and stocking of controlled substance medications.
• As directed by supervisor, helps perform routine audits of medication usage.
• Prepares monitors, evaluates, and analyzes drug usage reports of controlled substances, considering various factors, including the type of patients, questionable circumstances, or unusual trends.
• Communicates potential problems or deviations in normal use to the supervisor or pharmacist-in-charge.
• Provides guidance to nursing, pharmacy, and medical center staff on administrative procedures and medical center policies as they apply to controlled substance use and accountability.
• Proficient in the use of pharmacy automation and count verification systems.
• Responsible for all security pertaining to controlled substances including reporting discrepancies promptly to supervisors and VA Police as noted by facility and VA policies/directives.
• Skills utilizing the VA computerized data processing system will have been developed such that information will be accurately entered or modified.
• Provides and documents training and guidance to other employees engaged in controlled substance use and accountability. This includes new pharmacy employee orientation, training backup-controlled substance.
• Orders and maintains appropriate stock levels of all controlled substances stored in the vault and ensures that all expired or unusable controlled substances are removed from the active vault stock, properly stored and destroyed.
• Ensures proper storage of perishable medications and other drugs requiring special handling, which may include narcotic/non-narcotic investigational drugs.
• Conducts regularly scheduled inventories and interacts with controlled substance inspection officials.
• Ensures that inventories of pharmacy controlled substances stock are conducted, in keeping with medical center.
• Provides for the security of controlled substances by enforcing all access restrictions, immediately reporting any shortages or suspected diversions, and ensuring that controlled substances are properly always secured and accounted for.

Benefits

• A career with the U.S. government provides employees with a comprehensive benefits package.
• As a federal employee, you and your family will have access to a range of benefits that are designed to make your federal career very rewarding.
• Eligibility for benefits depends on the type of position you hold and whether your position is full-time, part-time or intermittent.
• Contact the hiring agency for more information on the specific benefits offered.

What This Job Offers

• Job Type: Full-time
• Career Level: Mid Level
• Education Level: No Education Listed