Please ensure you review the announcement in its entirety for required skills, documents and eligibility. The Quality Assurance Pharmacy Technician will work in the Quality Assurance Department as part of the Data Analytics Resource Team (DART) performing a variety of tasks for improvement of workflow, work methods and priorities; assuring timely accomplishment of workload within limits of available resources. To qualify for this position, applicants must meet all requirements by the closing date of this announcement, 08/19/2022. Basic Requirements for Pharmacy Technician: 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: A high school diploma or equivalent; or at least 3 months experience. Certification: Certification by the National Pharmacy Technician Certification Board (PTCB) is required at grades GS-6 and above. Loss of Credential: An employee in this occupation who fails to obtain licensure/certification/registration within the required time frame, or who fails to maintain the required licensure/certification/ registration must be removed from the occupation, which may also result in termination of employment. For occupations which require an active credential (licensure/certification/registration) at all grade levels, at the discretion of the appointing official, an employee may be reassigned to another occupation for which he/she qualifies if a placement opportunity exists. For occupations which require an active credential (licensure/certification/registration) in assignments above the full-performance level only, at the discretion of the appointing official, an employee may remain at an appropriate lower grade level in the occupation when both of the following apply: the credential is not a requirement and a placement opportunity exists". Grandfathering Provision: The following is the standard grandfathering policy for all Title 38 hybrid qualification standards. Some of these provisions may not apply to this occupation. Please carefully review the qualification standard to determine the specific education and/or licensure / certification / registration requirements that apply to this occupation. All persons employed in VHA in this occupation on the effective date of this qualification standard are considered to have met all qualification requirements for the title, series and grade held, including positive education and licensure / certification / registration that are part of the basic requirements of the occupation. For employees who do not meet all the basic requirements required in this standard, but who met the qualifications applicable to the position at the time they were appointed to it, the following provisions apply: Such employees in an occupation that does not require a licensure / certification / registration, may be reassigned, promoted, or demoted within the occupation.-Such employees in an occupation that requires a licensure/certification/registration, may be reassigned, promoted up to and including the full performance (journey) level, or demoted within the occupation, but may not be promoted beyond the journey level or placed in supervisory or managerial positions. Such employees in an occupation that requires a licensure/certification/registration only at higher grade levels must meet the licensure/certification/registration requirement before they can be promoted to those higher grade levels. Employees who are appointed on a temporary basis prior to the effective date of the qualification standard may not have their temporary appointment extended or be reappointed, on a temporary or permanent basis, until they fully meet the basic requirements of the standard. Employees initially grandfathered into this occupation, who subsequently obtain additional education and/or licensure / certification / registration that meet all the basic requirements of this qualification standard must maintain the required credentials as a condition of employment in the occupation. If an employee who was retained in an occupation listed in 38 U.S.C. § 7401(3) under this provision leaves that occupation, the employee loses protected status and must meet the full VA qualification standard requirements in effect at the time of reentry to the occupation. Physical Requirements: See VA Directive and Handbook 5019. English Language Proficiency: Pharmacy technicians appointed to direct patient care positions must be proficient in spoken and written English in accordance with VA Policy. References: VA HANDBOOK 5005/15, PART II, APPENDIX G28. GS-08 Pharmacy Technician Requirements: Experience: One year experience at the next lower level and must fully 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 (*): Demonstrated Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities *1. Knowledge of human resource management policies and procedures, and the ability to supervise various levels of pharmacy technicians and other technical personnel (for supervisory assignments). *2. Ability to apply management and leadership principles. 3. Ability to communicate orally and in writing. 4. Extensive working knowledge of the pharmacy operation. 5. Ability to assess staff needs and provide appropriate training. Assignments: For all assignments above the full performance level, the higher-level duties must consist of significant scope, complexity (difficulty), and range of variety, and be performed by the incumbent at least 25% of the time. Pharmacy technicians at this level may be assigned supervisory positions or assignments as lead technicians in a highly complex area of the pharmacy. The GS-8 level is for very select, complex pharmacy technician positions as established by each health care facility. To be advanced, employees must meet all of the following standards, provided the standard is part of their assignment. Determinations concerning placement of positions at this grade level shall take into consideration the skill mix and availability of supervision in the work unit. Although these positions are under the supervision of a pharmacist, employees in such settings successfully and consistently demonstrate the exercise of independent technical judgment (without the need for readily available supervision) as well as comprehensive and thorough working knowledge of the most complex or difficult practices and procedures. Such individuals may also serve as supervisors or in an equivalent assignment in a Pharmacy Service, or for a specific unit or section. Physical Requirements: Work may be performed in a highly mechanized warehouse setting around production machinery. Moderate noise and traffic require attention to safety. Some work areas involve a moderate risk requiring exercise of safety precautions when operating or working around the automated equipment (i.e., accumulators, moving belts, etc.). Wearing Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) is mandatory when handling identified medications as stated in CMOP Standard Operating Procedures. The work requires regular and recurring physical exertion, involving standing or sitting for prolonged periods of time, lifting/carrying of pharmaceutical supplies weighing up to 50 lbs. and bending/stooping/reaching. Hazardous Drugs The incumbent may be exposed to hazardous drugs in final dosage form at this workplace, particularly in areas where routine pharmacy tasks, such as handling stock bottles, opening bottles to count tablets or capsules, preparation of prescriptions for dispensing, waste disposal, and spill response are performed. The full performance level of this vacancy is GS-08. ["Although not required, preferred experience, concentration, or a candidate's area of interest: Independent work ethics Create and analyze data/reports Knowledge and experience with SQL program Experience as contracting officer representative (COR) Major duties include, but are not all inclusive: Knowledge of SQL database structures and develop queries to pull data as requested. Prepare national reports for senior leadership utilizing Microsoft Office programs. Initiates and maintains national and local level quality assurance and performance improvement initiatives. Maintain monthly and weekly reports pertaining to both local and national CMOP initiatives. Interacts with internal and external agencies to resolve problems, report incidents and feedback on problematic trends/patterns. Cancels prescriptions back to Medical Centers which have been identified as having invalid addresses. Analyzes \"Operational Events Reports\" to determine current status, sequence of events and identifying procedural issues. Reconcile package recalls: inspecting packages/drug, recording results, notification of Medical Centers of possible drug errors. Lead role in total quality improvement activities. Compile, categorizes and records workload data for various QA reports. Responds to internal and external inquiries providing requested information according to regulatory, federal and VA agency policies. Collects drug use evaluation data for quality improvement purposes. Analyzes data for operational problems and refers for appropriate action. Promote compliance with all existing safety and security measures, procedures and policies. Resolves problems/complaints using knowledge of overall CMOP operations and policies. Trains and orients new personnel, volunteers, students, etc. in the QA department. Performs the duties of other pharmacy technicians as required. Performs other duties as assigned. Work Schedule: 40 hours per week: Monday-Friday: Tour of duty based upon organizational needs.\nFlexible: Flexible schedule is available\nTelework: ADHOC per organizational policies\nPosition Title/Functional Statement #:Pharmacy Technician/PD00011A"]