Veterans Affairs, Veterans Health Administration Hiring for Lead Pharmacy Technician at Saint Louis, Missouri Full Time

Summary The Lead Pharmacy Technician is an essential member of the John Cochran Pharmacy night tour responsible for supporting operating room functions, with an emphasis on cardia surgery, in regards to preparing solutions/medications for next day surgeries. The incumbent will facilitate processes by working in collaboration with team members/employees to ensure that tasks are completed, good working relationships are maintained and that team priorities, goals and needs are coordinated with management. Responsibilities Duties include, but not limited to: Team Leader Responsibilities Leads a unit or team of employees performing work at the GS-6 level. Provides guidance and technical direction necessary for accomplishing the work of the unit or team Functions as team leader, leading team efforts in the development, implementation, and/or evaluation of program or project responsibilities Identifies, distributes and balances workload and tasks among employees in accordance with established workflow, skill level, and/or occupational specialization. Makes adjustments to accomplish the workload in accordance with established priorities to ensure timely accomplishment of assigned team tasks; and ensures each employee has an integral role in developing the final team product Resolves simple, informal complaints of employees and refers others, such as formal grievances and appeals, to the supervisor or an appropriate management official Prepares reports and maintains records of work accomplishments and administrative information, as required, and coordinates the preparation, presentation and communication of work-related information to the supervisor Performs technical support in a pharmacy under the supervision of a registered pharmacist Packages or assembles drugs and supplies, prepares bulk compounds Receives/Stores/Orders Pharmaceuticals Receives supplies, checks for shortages, tampering, breakage, deterioration or expiration Manages program for items requiring specialized ordering, maintenance, inventory, etc., processes Prepares sterile solutions, intravenous additive solutions, or sets up prescriptions to be checked by a pharmacist Prepares Sterile or Intravenous Additive Solutions Applies rigid aseptic techniques in preparing sterile solutions Manufactures simple sterile products without additional certification Uses proper sterile technique to ensure the solution is not contaminated and potentially dangerous to the patient Prioritizes drug orders according to established pharmacy procedures Performs final certification of non-routine sterile products compounded by other technicians prior to dispensing, inspects the final product for accuracy, suitability and elegance Work Schedule: Monday-Friday, 2:30pm-11pm Financial Disclosure Report: Not required Requirements Conditions of Employment Qualifications 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. 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. English Language Proficiency. Pharmacists must be proficient in spoken and written English as required by 38 U.S.C. 7402(d), and 7407(d). Education. A high school diploma or equivalent. Certification. Certification by the National Pharmacy Technician Certification Board (PTCB) is required at grades GS-6 and above. Grade Determinations: Experience: One year experience at the next lower level and must full meet the KSAs at the next lower level. In addition, the candidate must demonstrate the following technical KSAs and the potential to acquire the assignment specific KSAs designated by an asterisk ():1. Ability to evaluate, analyze workflow, and coordinate work activities.2. Ability to independently gather, evaluate, and analyze date to generate reports and/or for other projects/statistical purposes.3. Knowledge of pharmacy policies and procedures sufficient to train and orient new employees and other staff.4. Comprehensive knowledge of the operation and care of specialized pharmaceutical equipment.5. Comprehensive knowledge of the procurement and formulary process.6. Comprehensive knowledge of investigational drug policies and procedures.7. Comprehensive knowledge of controlled substance policies and procedures, and the ability to identify and investigate discrepancies in these policies and procedures.8. Comprehensive knowledge of, and ability to , analyze data in VA information systems References: VA Handbook 5005 Part II, Appendix G28, Pharmacy Technician Qualification Standards. The full performance level of this vacancy is GS-7. Physical Requirements: This position requires heavy lifting (45 lbs and over); reaching above shoulder; use of fingers; walking (3 hours per day); standing (8 hours per day); kneeling (2 hours per day); repeated bending (4 hours per day); both legs required; ability for rapid mental and muscular coordination simultaneously; near vision correctable to 13″ to 16″; far vision correctable in one eye to 20/20 and 20/40 in the other; ability to distinguish shades of colors; hearing (aid permitted). Education IMPORTANT: A transcript must be submitted with your application if you are basing all or part of your qualifications on 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: http://www.ed.gov/about/offices/list/ous/international/usnei/us/edlite-visitus-forrecog.html. Additional Information Receiving Service Credit or Earning Annual (Vacation) Leave: Federal Employees earn annual leave at a rate (4, 6 or 8 hours per pay period) which is based on the number of years they have served as a Federal employee. VA may offer newly-appointed Federal employee’s credit for their job-related non-federal experience or active duty uniformed military service. This credited service can be used in determining the rate at which they earn annual leave. Such credit must be requested and approved prior to the appointment date and is not guaranteed. This job opportunity announcement may be used to fill additional vacancies. It is the policy of the VA to not deny employment to those that have faced financial hardships or periods of unemployment. This position is in the Excepted Service and does not confer competitive status. VA encourages persons with disabilities to apply. The health-related positions in VA are covered by Title 38, and are not covered by the Schedule A excepted appointment authority. Veterans and Transitioning Service Members: Please visit the VA for Vets site for career-search tools for Veterans seeking employment at VA, career development services for our existing Veterans, and coaching and reintegration support for military service members. If you are unable to apply online or need to fax a document you do not have in electronic form, view the following link for information regarding an Alternate Application.