Pharmacy Technician (Procurement/Supply)

Veterans Health Administration • Atlanta, GA

6d • Onsite

About The Position

The Atlanta VA Health Care System is recruiting a Pharmacy Technician for the Pharmacy at the VA Medical Center in Atlanta, Georgia. The pharmacy serves adult and elderly Veterans 24 hours a day, seven days a week, including nights, weekends, and holidays. The technician supports hospital staff by interpreting orders and obtaining the appropriate medication or supply in the correct dose and strength.

The Pharmacy Technician is responsible for purchasing and inventory of prescription and nonprescription medications and supplies in a highly complex area of Pharmacy Service at the Joseph Maxwell Cleland Atlanta VA Medical Center. The role requires compliance with Veterans Health Administration, Drug Enforcement Administration, Food and Drug Administration, and federal requirements concerning contracts, purchase cards, reconciliation, control points, controlled-substance purchasing, purchasing documentation, and inventory control.

Primary duties include initiating pharmaceutical and supply orders, receiving shipments appropriately, and ensuring compliance with product and storage requirements. The incumbent has independent purchasing responsibilities and may assist the pharmacy management team as staffing requires, supporting pharmaceutical care and timely customer service. At this level, pharmacy technicians are delegated ordering authority by acquisition center contracting officers for orders under the national pharmacy prime vendor contract and pharmacy blanket purchase agreements. They order medications and supplies from required sources, maintain multiple complex prime-vendor accounts, use the government purchase card for direct orders up to the micro-purchase threshold, and meet regulatory and formulary requirements within budgetary limits.

The stated work schedule is 10:00 a.m. to 6:30 p.m., with rotating weekends and holidays; the schedule may change based on agency needs. The position is onsite at the Atlanta VA Medical Center; telework is unavailable and the position is not virtual.

Requirements

• U.S. citizenship, subject to the stated VA policy exception for non-citizens when qualified citizens cannot be recruited.
• Proficiency in spoken and written English.
• For positions above the full performance level, an active national certification through either the Pharmacy Technician Certification Board (PTCB) as a Certified Pharmacy Technician (CPhT) or the National Health-career Association (NHA) as a Certified Pharmacy Technician (ExCPT), unless eligible under the stated grandfathering provision.
• One year of experience equivalent to the next lower grade level.
• Basic knowledge of pharmacy procurement, distribution, and storage requirements for maintaining a safe working environment, including OSHA, FDA, USP, and DEA requirements and regulations.
• Ability to assist in determining and modifying ordering intervals, inventory levels, and cost-effective ordering quantities from required sources based on financial conditions, seasonal drug use, changing medical practice, delivery times, and urgency of medical need.
• Completion of required background/security investigation, onboarding, identification, and other pre-employment requirements.
• Subject to drug testing before appointment if tentatively selected for a testing-designated position.
• Participation in the seasonal influenza vaccination program.
• Must serve a one- or two-year trial period, subject to the stated evaluation and certification conditions.
• Physical requirements are governed by VA Directive and Handbook 5019.

Nice To Haves

• Experience with supply systems, procurement, filling, and dispensing of bulk prescriptions.

Responsibilities

• Purchase prescription and nonprescription medications and supplies and maintain inventory for a highly complex pharmacy area.
• Comply with VHA, DEA, FDA, and federal requirements for contract compliance, purchase cards, reconciliations, control points, controlled-substance purchasing, purchasing documentation, and inventory control.
• Initiate pharmaceutical and supply orders, receive shipments properly, and ensure products meet storage requirements.
• Exercise independent purchasing responsibilities.
• Order medications and supplies from required sources under the national pharmacy prime vendor contract and pharmacy blanket purchase agreements.
• Maintain multiple complex accounts with the national pharmacy prime vendor.
• Use the government purchase card for direct orders up to the micro-purchase threshold, in accordance with VA financial policy.
• Meet regulatory and formulary requirements while addressing patient needs within budgetary limits.
• Assist the pharmacy management team as staffing requires to support pharmaceutical care and timely customer service.
• Interpret orders and obtain the proper medication or material in the proper dose and strength.

Benefits

• 37–50 days of annual paid time off per year, including 13–26 days of annual leave, 13 days of sick leave, and 11 paid federal holidays.
• Selected applicants may qualify for annual-leave accrual credit based on prior work or military service, subject to approval.
• After 12 months of employment, up to 12 weeks of paid parental leave in connection with 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 family-income, child-eligibility, and monthly-maximum conditions.
• Traditional federal pension, with five-year vesting, and federal 401(k) with up to 5% in VA contributions.
• Federal health, vision, dental, term life, and long-term-care insurance; many federal insurance programs can be carried into retirement.

What This Job Offers

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