Lead Pharmacy Technician

The Lead Pharmacy Technician for Outpatient Pharmacy serves as an advanced, highly skilled technical expert responsible for coordinating, overseeing, and supporting complex outpatient pharmacy operations and sterile compounding.

Total Rewards of a Allied Health Professional The Lead Pharmacy Tech applies expert knowledge of Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) regulations; Department of Veterans Affairs (VA), Veterans Health Administration (VHA) policies, USP 797 and USP 800; automated dispensing technologies; outpatient workflow processes; and controlled substance accountability principles. This position also provides designated backup support for controlled substance operations. Employees at this level independently perform assignments of substantial difficulty and act as a subject matter expert and primary resource for technicians working in outpatient service areas, ensuring strict compliance, accuracy, and diversion prevention standards. The incumbent also provides clinical support by assisting with prescription triaging, managing internal telephone or chat communications, and directing inquiries to appropriate staff. The Lead Pharmacy Technician provides day-to-day operational direction, monitors workload demands, assigns tasks to maintain efficient workflow, and ensures that automation, equipment, and inventory systems remain fully functional and optimized. The lead technician will create and adjust technician rotation schedules to optimize workflow. The technician integrates standard operating procedures into daily activities to support safe, accurate, and compliant medication distribution. Responsibilities include guiding and supporting staff in the supervisor's absence; training and mentoring new and experienced technicians; identifying developmental needs; and contributing to service wide quality improvement initiatives. The Lead Technician plays a key role in maintaining clear, consistent, and effective communication across the outpatient teams. This includes facilitating communication flow, reinforcing shared expectations, ensuring staff receive timely updates, and promoting alignment among technicians and pharmacists. The incumbent supports and promotes transparent information sharing, collaborative problem resolution, and coordinated operations to enhance consistency and team cohesion throughout the pharmacy. Duties are continued in the education Section of this announcement: the Lead Technician provides operational coverage for outpatient pharmacy technicians as needed. This includes performing medication dispensing, prescription preparation, call center log coverage, inventory management, automated dispensing cabinet (ADC) stocking and restocking, and assisting with daily production to support service continuity. The incumbent performs quality assurance (QA) activities including monthly inspections/inventories, medication room audits, automation QA tasks, and workflow quality checkpoints. The lead technician also serves as the designated timekeeper for Lubbock Pharmacy. They will be the subject matter expert for VATAS/GovTA. This requires knowledge of timekeeping rules and regulations and keeping correct records for management of all employees' payroll information. The lead technician will be responsible for completing monthly surface samples for the sterile compounding suite, completing the proper documentation for the processing lab and completing the electronic software to track documentation of environmental monitoring along with automated task management to ensure compliance with USP <797> and <800> standards. The lead technician will also be responsible for ensuring that the electronic software to track documentation of environmental monitoring is completed by technicians daily so that the pharmacy is in a constant state of readiness for audits and surveys. Duties are continued in the Education Section. Work Schedule: Monday - Friday, 8 AM - 4:30 PM Recruitment/Relocation Incentives (Sign-on Bonus): Not authorized Permanent Change of Station (Relocation Assistance): Not authorized 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) 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: Not available Virtual: This is not a virtual position. Functional Statement #: 000000 Permanent Change of Station (PCS): Not authorized

You must be a U.S. Citizen to apply for this job. All applicants tentatively selected for VA employment in a testing designated position are subject to urinalysis to screen for illegal drug use prior to appointment. Applicants who refuse to be tested will be denied employment with VA. Selective Service Registration is required for males born after 12/31/1959. Must be proficient in written and spoken English. Subject to background/security investigation. Selected applicants will be required to complete an online onboarding process. Acceptable form(s) of identification will be required to complete pre-employment requirements (https://www.uscis.gov/i-9-central/form-i-9-acceptable-documents). Effective May 7, 2025, driver's licenses or state-issued identification cards that are not REAL ID compliant cannot be utilized as an acceptable form of identification for employment. Participation in the seasonal influenza vaccination program is a requirement for all Department of Veterans Affairs Health Care Personnel (HCP). Complete all application requirements detailed in the "Required Documents" section of this announcement. As a condition of employment for accepting this position, you will be required to serve a 1 or 2-year trial period during which we will evaluate your fitness and whether your continued employment advances the public interest. In determining if your employment advances the public interest, we may consider: your performance and conduct; the needs and interests of the agency; whether your continued employment would advance organizational goals of the agency or the Government; and whether your continued employment would advance the efficiency of the Federal service. Upon completion of your trial period, your employment will be terminated unless you receive certification, in writing, that your continued employment advances the public interest.