Pharmacy Technician (Procurement/Inventory)

We need to produce HTML fragment with sections: headings

for sections like About the role, Responsibilities, Requirements, Qualifications, Skills, Benefits, Pay, Schedule. We must only include sections that have real specific content. We must not repeat job title. Must not include Job ID etc. Must preserve all substantive info, remove boilerplate, duplicated lines, application instructions, cookie/nav/legal/EEO etc. Must not create sections with filler like "commensurate with experience". Must only include sections when posting has real specific content. We need to parse the posting. Key content: - Summary: "This position functions primarily to support central pharmacy procurement - outpatient automation - distribution systems - regulatory compliance - and patient safety. The pharmacy technician can be assigned to any area of the pharmacy including expanded distributive function assignments and higher complexity assignments." - Qualifications: includes many details: citizenship, education/experience none required, certification requirements, English proficiency, grade determinations, KSAs, specialized area, assignments for Pharmacy Technician (Procurement/Inventory), additional KSAs, preferred experience, etc. - Duties: list of duties (functions independently performs complex pharmaceutical procurement duties..., etc.) - Work Schedule: Monday thru Friday - 7:30am - 4pm - Pay: "Competitive salary and regular salary increases... (Above Minimum Rate of the Grade)" This is vague but still mentions pay. It says "Competitive salary and regular salary increases". Not specific numbers but it's still content. According to rule: never create Pay/Schedule/Benefits sections unless posting actually states them. It does state Pay: Competitive salary and regular salary increases... So we can include Pay section. - Benefits: Many benefits listed: Paid Time Off, Parental Leave, Child Care Subsidy, Retirement, Insurance, Telework (AD-HOC Virtual: not a virtual position). Also Recruitment Incentive (Sign-on Bonus): Not authorized, Permanent Change of Station: Not authorized. Those are benefits info. So we can include Benefits section. - Schedule: Already have Work Schedule. - About the role: Could be the summary paragraph. - Responsibilities: Could be duties. - Requirements/Qualifications: Could be qualifications. - Skills: Could be KSAs. We need to avoid duplication. We'll structure:

About the role

This position functions primarily to support central pharmacy procurement - outpatient automation - distribution systems - regulatory compliance - and patient safety. The pharmacy technician can be assigned to any area of the pharmacy including expanded distributive function assignments and higher complexity assignments.

Responsibilities

• Performs complex pharmaceutical procurement duties - ensuring accurate purchasing, receiving, cost tracking, and full compliance with federal acquisition, VA policies, and government purchase card regulations.
• Evaluates product availability, contract restrictions, pricing, and clinical requirements to determine the most cost-effective procurement strategy using FSS, prime vendor, and alternate contract sources.
• Coordinates and executes all pharmacy-related drug recall activities - including identification, retrieval, documentation, hazard communication, and required follow-up actions to ensure patient safety and regulatory compliance.
• Conducts detailed verification of incoming stock, resolves discrepancies, and ensures proper storage conditions in accordance with VA, USP, TJC, and OSHA requirements.
• Manages inventory integrity through systematic identification, segregation, documentation, and third-party destruction of outdated or unusable pharmaceuticals and supplies.
• Performs specialized technical setup, calibration, troubleshooting, and maintenance of outpatient automated medication dispensing systems with minimal supervision.
• Collects, analyzes, and reports performance data for automated dispensing systems - identifying operational deviations and recommending system improvements to management.
• Serves as a technical resource and trainer for pharmacy technicians, pharmacists, and other staff on procurement procedures, inventory control systems, and automated dispensing technologies.
• Coordinates procurement and replacement of specialty medical supplies for patients - communicating directly with providers and patients to ensure clinically appropriate product selection.
• Executes special procurement assignments and projects requiring independent judgment, analytical skill, and advanced technical knowledge to support pharmacy operations, efficiency, and patient safety.

Requirements

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

Education or Experience: None required. For all grade levels and positions that accept both education and experience to qualify - equivalent combinations of qualifying education and experience that total at least 100% are qualifying.

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).

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 (repeated): 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.

We might combine duplicate certification lines. We also have KSAs: 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 Specialized Area: Areas within pharmacy that require advanced knowledge - skills and abilities to ensure a high level of accountability for patient safety - quality of care and/or VHA or other regulatory requirementsExamples include - but are not limited to compounding sterile products - controlled substance dispensing - research - automation - clinical informatics - quality assurance - hazardous medication compounding/management - immunizations and clinical pharmacy assignmentsSkill in training and orienting new and existing pharmacy facility employees and students on proper policies and proceduresAbility to evaluate - analyze and coordinate workflow and work activities within a specialized area or section of the pharmacyAssignments forPharmacy Technician (Procurement/Inventory): 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 timePharmacy technicians at this level serve as an ordering officer delegated by the national acquisition center contracting officer for the purpose of ordering against the national pharmacy prime vendor (PPV) contract and national blanket purchase agreements (BPA) for pharmacyThey are responsible for ordering medications and supplies from required sources and meeting contract compliance while maintaining multiple complex accounts with the PPVThey utilize the Government purchase card program for direct orders up to the micro purchase threshold per VA financial policyPharmacy technicians at this level are responsible for regulatory and formulary requirements to meet patient needs within budgetary limitsAdditional Knowledge - Skills and Abilities (KSAs): Basic knowledge of pharmacy procurement - distribution and storage requirements to maintain a safe working environmentThis includes not limited to Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) - Food and Drug Administration (FDA) - United States Pharmacopeia (USP) and DEA requirements and regulationsAbility to assist in determining and modifying as necessary: ordering intervals - inventory levels and cost-effective ordering quantities from required sources based on current financial conditions in pharmacy - seasonal variations in drug usage - changing patterns in medical practice - delivery time requirements and urgency of medical needPreferred Experience: At least 3 years of experience as a pharmacy technician in an inpatient - hospital - or high-volume outpatient settingMinimum of 1 year of hands on full-time or parttime experience in pharmacy purchasing - inventory management - or a pharmacy buyer roleExperience should include ordering - receiving - returns/recalls - backorders - as well as reconciling purchase orders - invoices - and credits - and resolving discrepancies with vendorsExperience with pharmacy information systems - electronic drug dispensing technology - and inventory modules (e.gPyxis - Omnicell - McKesson or similar ordering platforms) We can put KSAs under Skills section. Also Preferred Experience could be part of Requirements or Qualifications. We need to avoid duplication and keep concise but preserve all substantive info. We'll try to capture all. We'll create sections: - About the role (summary) - Responsibilities (duties) - Requirements (citizenship, education/experience, certification, English proficiency, grade determinations, KSAs, preferred experience) - Skills (maybe KSAs but we already included; maybe separate Skills for KSAs) - Benefits (Paid Time Off, Parental Leave, Child Care Subsidy, Retirement, Insurance, Telework note) - Pay (Competitive salary and regular salary increases, Above Minimum Rate of the Grade) - Schedule (Work Schedule: Monday thru Friday - 7:30am - 4pm) We must not create sections with filler like "not specified". All have content. We need to ensure we don't repeat job title. No headings for Job ID. We must output only HTML fragment. Let's craft. We'll need to escape any HTML special characters? Not needed. We'll produce:

About the role

This position functions primarily to support central pharmacy procurement - outpatient automation - distribution systems - regulatory compliance - and patient safety. The pharmacy technician can be assigned to any area of the pharmacy including expanded distributive function assignments and higher complexity assignments.

Responsibilities

• Performs complex pharmaceutical procurement duties - ensuring accurate purchasing, receiving, cost tracking, and full compliance with federal acquisition, VA policies, and government purchase card regulations.
• Evaluates product availability, contract restrictions, pricing, and clinical requirements to determine the most cost-effective procurement strategy using FSS, prime vendor, and alternate contract sources.
• Coordinates and executes all pharmacy-related drug recall activities - including identification, retrieval, documentation, hazard communication, and required follow-up actions to ensure patient safety and regulatory compliance.
• Conducts detailed verification of incoming stock, resolves discrepancies, and ensures proper storage conditions in accordance with VA, USP, TJC, and OSHA requirements.
• Manages inventory integrity through systematic identification, segregation, documentation, and third-party destruction of outdated or unusable pharmaceuticals and supplies.
• Performs specialized technical setup, calibration, troubleshooting, and maintenance of outpatient automated medication dispensing systems with minimal supervision.
• Collects, analyzes, and reports performance data for automated dispensing systems - identifying operational deviations and recommending system improvements to management.
• Serves as a technical resource and trainer for pharmacy technicians, pharmacists, and other staff on procurement procedures, inventory control systems, and automated dispensing technologies.
• Coordinates procurement and replacement of specialty medical supplies for patients - communicating directly with providers and patients to ensure clinically appropriate product selection.
• Executes special procurement assignments and projects requiring independent judgment, analytical skill, and advanced technical knowledge to support pharmacy operations, efficiency, and patient safety.

Requirements

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

Education or Experience: None required. Equivalent combinations of qualifying education and experience that total at least 100% are qualifying.

Certification: Must pass a national certification exam and hold an active national certification through either the Pharmacy Technician Certification Board (PTCB) – Certified Pharmacy Technician (CPhT) or the National Healthcareer Association (NHA) – Certified Pharmacy Technician (ExCPT).

English Language Proficiency: Proficiency in spoken and written English as required by 38 U