Pharmacy Technician (Procurement/Inventory)

Veterans Health Administration • Spokane, WA

13h • Hybrid

About The Position

This position primarily supports central pharmacy procurement, outpatient automation, distribution systems, regulatory compliance, and patient safety. The pharmacy technician may be assigned to any pharmacy area, including expanded distributive-function and higher-complexity assignments.

The technician independently performs complex pharmaceutical procurement duties, including purchasing, receiving, cost tracking, and compliance with federal acquisition requirements, VA policies, and government purchase-card regulations. The role evaluates availability, contract restrictions, pricing, and clinical requirements to select cost-effective procurement strategies, and coordinates pharmacy drug recalls from identification through retrieval, documentation, hazard communication, and follow-up.

The role verifies incoming stock, resolves discrepancies, maintains appropriate storage conditions, and manages outdated or unusable pharmaceuticals and supplies, including documentation and third-party destruction. It also sets up, calibrates, troubleshoots, and maintains outpatient automated medication dispensing systems; reports performance data and recommends improvements; and serves as a technical resource and trainer for pharmacy staff. Additional duties include coordinating specialty medical-supply procurement and replacement with providers and patients and completing special procurement assignments and projects.

This is a permanent, full-time position. The work schedule is 7:30 a.m. to 4 p.m., Monday through Friday. Ad-hoc telework may be available; this is not a virtual position. The full performance level is GS-8. The position requires a 1- or 2-year trial period.

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 the GS-08 level, one year of experience equivalent to the next lower grade level.
• For positions above the full performance level, an active national pharmacy technician certification through PTCB as a CPhT or NHA as an ExCPT.
• Demonstrate comprehensive knowledge of concepts, principles, methodology, and policies in a specialized pharmacy area.
• Demonstrate skill in training and orienting pharmacy facility employees and students on policies and procedures.
• Demonstrate the ability to evaluate, analyze, and coordinate workflow and work activities within a specialized pharmacy area.
• Demonstrate basic knowledge of pharmacy procurement, distribution, and storage requirements, including applicable OSHA, FDA, USP, and DEA requirements and regulations.
• Meet the assignment's higher-level duty requirement: duties of significant scope, complexity, and variety must be performed at least 25% of the time.
• Pass the required pre-employment physical evaluation and, if tentatively selected for a testing-designated position, urinalysis screening for illegal drug use.
• Meet background and security investigation requirements, complete online onboarding, provide acceptable identification, and complete application requirements.
• Participate in the seasonal influenza vaccination program.
• Serve a 1- or 2-year trial period, subject to written certification for continued employment.

Nice To Haves

• At least 3 years of pharmacy technician experience in an inpatient, hospital, or high-volume outpatient setting.
• At least 1 year of hands-on full-time or part-time experience in pharmacy purchasing, inventory management, or a pharmacy buyer role.
• Experience ordering and receiving medications or supplies, handling returns and recalls and backorders, reconciling purchase orders, invoices, and credits, and resolving vendor discrepancies.
• Experience with pharmacy information systems, electronic drug dispensing technology, and inventory modules, such as Pyxis, Omnicell, McKesson, or similar ordering platforms.

Responsibilities

• Perform complex pharmaceutical procurement, including purchasing, receiving, cost tracking, and compliance with federal acquisition requirements, VA policies, and government purchase-card regulations.
• Evaluate product availability, contract restrictions, pricing, and clinical requirements to select cost-effective procurement strategies using FSS, prime vendor, and alternate contract sources.
• Coordinate and execute pharmacy drug recalls, including identification, retrieval, documentation, hazard communication, and required follow-up.
• Verify incoming stock, resolve discrepancies, and ensure appropriate storage conditions in accordance with VA, USP, TJC, and OSHA requirements.
• Manage inventory integrity by identifying, segregating, documenting, and arranging third-party destruction of outdated or unusable pharmaceuticals and supplies.
• Set up, calibrate, troubleshoot, and maintain outpatient automated medication dispensing systems with minimal supervision.
• Collect, analyze, and report automated dispensing system performance data; identify operational deviations and recommend improvements to management.
• Train and provide technical guidance to pharmacy technicians, pharmacists, and other staff on procurement procedures, inventory-control systems, and automated dispensing technologies.
• Coordinate procurement and replacement of specialty medical supplies, communicating with providers and patients to support clinically appropriate product selection.
• Perform special procurement assignments and projects requiring independent judgment, analytical skill, and advanced technical knowledge.
• Order medications and supplies from required sources, maintain complex prime-vendor accounts, use the government purchase card for direct orders within the micro-purchase threshold, and meet regulatory, formulary, contract, and budget requirements.
• Assist in determining and adjusting ordering intervals, inventory levels, and cost-effective order quantities based on financial conditions, seasonal use, changes in medical practice, delivery timelines, and urgency of medical need.

Benefits

• Competitive salary and regular salary increases.
• 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.
• Up to 12 weeks of paid parental leave after 12 months of employment, in connection with birth, adoption, or foster-care placement of a child.
• Potential childcare subsidy after 60 days for eligible full-time employees with total family income below $144,000, covering up to 25% of eligible childcare costs, subject to a monthly maximum of $416.66.
• Traditional federal pension with 5-year vesting and federal 401(k), with up to 5% in contributions by VA.
• Federal health, vision, dental, term-life, and long-term-care insurance; many federal insurance programs can be carried into retirement.
• Annual leave accrual credit may be available based on prior federal employment or military service, if requested and approved before appointment.

What This Job Offers

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