Lead Pharmacy Technician

The lead pharmacy technician is located at the Colonel Mary Louise Rasmuson Campus, complexity level 3 facility. This position performs duties independently which consist of significant scope, complexity and leads at least three GS-07 or more technicians. The pharmacy technician lead is responsible for the guidance, training, and technical direction of all pharmacy non-pharmacist technical staff and volunteers within the designated area of pharmacy. EDUCATION: Note: 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. You can verify your education here: http://ope.ed.gov/accreditation/ . 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/ . RESPONSIBILITIES: Total Rewards of a Allied Health Professional

Assess workload volume throughout the day, identify backlogs, and makes staffing adjustments as needed to meet organizational goals.

Identify areas of duplication of efforts and develop solutions to streamline processes, reduce waste, cost savings, and improve patient care.

Coordinate day-to-day maintenance and operation of pharmacy area equipment and automation.

Assists in training and orientating new and existing pharmacy technicians, students, residents and pharmacists on policy and procedures.

Develops training schedules and assists in maintaining documentation for all pharmacy technicians and students.

Conduct technician meetings to assure proper updates of departmental and hospital communications.

Assist in the development of policies and procedures and participate in departmental goal planning and quality improvement activities.

Serves as back up to other pharmacy technicians within the designated area of pharmacy.

Work Schedule : 8am - 4:30pm Monday through Friday

Recruitment Incentive (Sign-on Bonus): Authorized

Permanent Change of Station (Relocation Assistance): Not Authorized

Pay: Competitive salary and regular salary increases

When setting pay, a higher step rate of the appropriate grade may be determined after consideration of higher or unique qualifications or special needs of the VA (Above Minimum Rate of the Grade).

Paid Time Off: 37-50 days of annual paid time offer per year (13-26 days of annual leave, 13 days of sick leave, 11 paid Federal holidays per year)

Selected applicants may qualify for credit toward annual leave accrual, based on prior [work experience] or military service experience.

Parental Leave: After 12 months of employment, up to 12 weeks of paid parental leave in connection with the birth, adoption, or foster care placement of a child.

Child Care Subsidy: After 60 days of employment, full time employees with a total family income below $144,000 may be eligible for a childcare subsidy up to 25% of total eligible childcare costs for eligible children up to the monthly maximum of $416.66 .

Retirement: Traditional federal pension (5 years vesting) and federal 401K with up to 5% in contributions by VA

Insurance: Federal health/vision/dental/term life/long-term care (many federal insurance programs can be carried into retirement)

Telework : Ad hoc only

Virtual: This is not a virtual position.

Functional Statement # : 0000000

Permanent Change of Station (PCS): Not Authorized QUALIFICATIONS: To qualify for this position, applicants must meet all requirements within 30 days of the closing date of this announcement.

Basic Requirements :

United States Citizenship: Non-citizens may only be appointed when it is not possible to recruit qualified citizens in accordance with VA Policy.

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). OR

National Healthcareer Association (NHA), Certified Pharmacy Technician (ExCPT).

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).

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.

Experience. Candidates must possess one year of experience equivalent to the next lower grade level and demonstrate the KSAs below.

Certification. For positions above the full performance level, the employee must pass a national certification exam and hold an active national certification through either:

PTCB as a CPhT. OR

NHA as a ExCPT.

Knowledge, Skills and Abilities (KSAs). 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.

Lead Pharmacy Technician Assignments. 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. Lead pharmacy technicians perform duties independently, which consist of significant scope and complexity and will assist with technician oversight. Lead pharmacy technicians lead three GS-07 or more pharmacy technicians/employees/staff members, provide direction for daily operations and assume responsibility for integrating and monitoring standard pharmacy policies to maintain continuous workflow and quality within the service. Lead pharmacy technicians must do a combination of at least three of the following duties:

prepare work schedules and assign tasks to ensure timely completion of duties;

ensure pharmacy resources are in optimal working condition and address workflow needs;

provide guidance and support of the work unit in supervisory absence;

train personnel (including students) in methods, procedures and use of equipment and instruments specific to the assigned area;

provide input to supervisor on performance and training needs of employees;

adjust work assignments due to absences, emergencies or changes in priorities;

resolve simple informal complaints of employees and patients, refer more difficult problems to the supervisor;

or recommend approval and/or disapproval of leave requests

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 actual grade at which an applicant may be selected for this vacancy is GS-08.

Physical Requirements: There are no physical requirements for this occupation per OCHCO Communications email to VA Handbook 5019, updated on 4/17/2026. SALARY: QuantitativeValue EMPLOYMENT TYPE: Other

Salary : $417