Pharmacy Technician - Outpatient

Veterans Health Administration • Saint Cloud, MN

10d • Onsite

About The Position

The Pharmacy Technician’s primary assignments are in the Outpatient Pharmacy, with support in other areas as needed, including Inpatient Pharmacy and controlled-substance activities. The role performs pharmacy operations such as stocking, delivery, inventory, inspections, assembling ward orders and prescriptions, distributing controlled substances, unit-dose packaging, dispensing, and other functions related to pharmaceutical practice.

The technician prepares prescriptions and medical supplies for pharmacist verification, maintains clean and orderly work areas, and stores medications and supplies securely in accordance with USP and VA guidelines. The role receives and stocks procurement items, checks for discrepancies, uses automated dispensing equipment, records expiration dates, and conducts monthly inspections of assigned areas. The technician also answers drug-distribution questions, alerts pharmacists to potential basic therapeutic issues, helps train staff and students, and participates in performance and quality improvement activities.

Outpatient duties include assembling prescriptions for window, mail, or internal delivery; using barcode scanning to confirm medications; maintaining and troubleshooting automated prescription dispensing equipment; and ensuring prescriptions are completed on time. The technician verifies patient identification and prescription receipt, handles shipping programs and delivery arrangements—including refrigerated and controlled medications—and triages pharmacy telephone calls. The position may be assigned to other pharmacy service areas as needed.

Requirements

• For the GS-7 grade, one year of experience equivalent to the next lower grade level (GS-6) is required.
• For positions above the full-performance level, an active national certification is required through either the Pharmacy Technician Certification Board (PTCB) as a Certified Pharmacy Technician (CPhT), or the National Healthcareer Association (NHA) as a Certified Pharmacy Technician (ExCPT).
• Proficiency in spoken and written English.
• Knowledge of pharmacy technician principles, practices, concepts, and theories sufficient for sound independent work.
• Knowledge of computerized prescription processing and prescription or medication-order input, or an electronic equivalent.
• Ability to resolve pharmacy or medication issues with healthcare team members, Veterans, and external customers.
• Ability to train developmental pharmacy technicians and students.
• Ability to dispense medication or sterile products in accordance with regulations, policies, and procedures for safe medication distribution.
• Ability to troubleshoot automated dispensing equipment or technology platforms and databases.
• U.S. citizenship is required, except that non-citizens may be appointed when qualified citizens cannot be recruited in accordance with VA policy.
• Selected applicants are subject to a background/security investigation and, for testing-designated positions, pre-appointment urinalysis; participation in the seasonal influenza vaccination program is required.
• Must complete the required onboarding process and serve a one- or two-year trial period.

Responsibilities

• Accurately interpret, fill, and prepare prescriptions with the appropriate medications or medical supplies for pharmacist verification.
• Maintain a clean and orderly work area, with stock and equipment in assigned places and shelves and counters free of dust and debris.
• Store drugs and supplies securely and appropriately according to USP and VA guidelines, including high-risk, look-alike/sound-alike, hazardous, controlled, corrosive, flammable, and refrigerated items.
• Receive, check, rotate, and stock items from the Pharmacy procurement section; identify and reconcile discrepancies.
• Use automated dispensing equipment according to safety and quality-assurance procedures, report malfunctions, and record expiration dates in the automated prescription dispensing system.
• Conduct monthly inspections of assigned areas, remove soon-to-expire drugs, and complete inspection reports for regulatory compliance.
• Answer drug-distribution questions from Pharmacy and non-Pharmacy personnel; identify basic potential therapeutic problems and alert a pharmacist.
• Assist with training and orientation of new technicians, interns, and students; support performance and quality improvement activities and assist higher-level technicians.
• Assemble prescriptions with the correct drug, strength, quantity, labels, and batching labels for window, mail, or internal delivery.
• Use barcode scanning to confirm medications and manually complete prescriptions not processed through automated dispensing.
• Perform routine maintenance and operation of the automated prescription dispensing machine, troubleshoot issues, and support efficient operation.
• Complete prescriptions promptly and verify patient identification, prescription accuracy, and receipt of all prescriptions, including refrigerated, controlled, and bulk medications.
• Use facility mail-shipping programs and arrange delivery of refrigerated prescriptions; verify patient addresses and determine whether patients opted in to automated text alerts when needed.
• Manage and triage telephone calls received by the Pharmacy.
• Work in other Pharmacy service areas as assigned by the Chief of Pharmacy Services or supervisor.

Benefits

• 37–50 days of annual paid time off per year, including annual leave, sick leave, and 11 paid federal holidays.
• Up to 12 weeks of paid parental leave after 12 months of employment, in connection with the birth, adoption, or foster care placement of a child.
• Eligible full-time employees may qualify for a childcare subsidy after 60 days of employment, subject to income, child, and program limits.
• Traditional federal pension with five-year vesting and federal 401(k), with VA contributions of up to 5%.
• Federal health, vision, dental, term life, and long-term care insurance; many federal insurance programs may be carried into retirement.
• Competitive salary and regular salary increases.

What This Job Offers

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