Veterans Health Administration Logo
Position Title
Pharmacy Technician
Agency
Veterans Health Administration
Announcement Number
CBSY-12745672-25-BH Opens in new window
Open Period
Wednesday, June 4, 2025 to Tuesday, September 2, 2025
For preview purposes only. To apply, please return to the USAJOBS announcement and click the Apply button.
Eligibilities
1. Do you claim Veterans’ Preference? (limit characters)
Preferences
1. Which of the following items describes your current or recent (within the last five years) political appointee service?

If you responded yes to any of the items below, you will need to include a SF-50 specifying your prior service.
(limit characters)
By submitting your application, you are certifying, to the best of your knowledge and belief, all the information submitted by you with your application for employment is true, complete, and made in good faith, and that you have truthfully and accurately represented your work experience, knowledge, skills, abilities and education (degrees, accomplishments, etc.). The information you provide as part of your application may be investigated. You are also certifying, and acknowledging, that misrepresenting your experience or education, or providing false or fraudulent information in, or with your application, may affect your eligibility for appointment and/or continued employment. False or fraudulent statements may be punishable by fine or imprisonment (18 U.S.C. 1001). (limit characters)
2. Are you willing to accept an Intermittent appointment? Intermittent employment is defined as non-fulltime employment in which employees serve under an excepted or competitive service appointment without a regularly scheduled tour of duty. A position with an intermittent work schedule is sporadic and unpredictable so that a tour of duty cannot be regularly scheduled in advance. (limit characters)
3. Applicants are required to undergo and successfully pass a pre-employment drug screening test and must submit to random drug testing after employment. Will you comply with this requirement? (limit characters)
In order to receive appropriate consideration, you should submit proper documentation if you are claiming eligibility for Veterans' Preference, which includes a copy of your DD-214 (member copy 4 or earlier version that shows character of service). Applicant's claiming 10-Point preference should also submit an SF-15, Application for 10-Point Veterans' Preference along with the required documentation listed on the form (such as verification of service-connected disability percentage). (limit characters)
If you are basing your qualifications on education (or a combination of education and experience) or if the position requires a college education to qualify, you must submit a copy of your transcripts with your application. (limit characters)
4. Resume Reminder - Your resume must include the following information for each job listed:
  • Name and Contact Information
  • Job title
  • Duties (be as detailed as possible)
  • Month & year start/end dates (e.g. June 2019 to April 2021)
  • Full-time or part-time status (include hours worked per week if part-time)
  • Series and Grade, if applicable, for all Federal positions you have held.
Please be aware that your answers will be verified against information provided on your resume. Be sure that your resume clearly supports your responses to all of the questions by addressing your work experience in detail.

Recommended: Even though we do not require a specific resume format, your resume must be clear so that we are able to fully evaluate your qualifications. To ensure you receive appropriate consideration, please list the duties you performed under each individual job title. If we are unable to match your experiences with the positions held, you may lose consideration for this vacancy. We cannot make assumptions regarding your qualifications.

Do you confirm that the above information is clearly stated for each work entry you are claiming experience for, and that each entry is full time unless otherwise annotated with part-time hours?
(limit characters)
If applying as an internal or status candidate with current or former Federal Service, you must provide a copy of your most recent non-award SF-50, "Notification of Personnel Action", showing the highest grade or promotion potential held, dated within the last year.
(limit characters)
All qualifying experience you possess must be clearly described in your application package. We will not make assumptions when reviewing applications. Failure to demonstrate your experience and knowledge, skills, and abilities (KSAs) in your application may result in disqualification. It is strongly recommended that you write to each KSA to demonstrate how you have gained each one in your application package or on a supplemental document. Please see the announcement for KSA requirements.
(limit characters)
Assessment 1
To qualify for this position, you must meet the Basic Requirements as well as any additional grade-level qualification requirements. Please select the appropriate response as it pertains to your qualifications for the following questions.
Grandfathering Provision. A Pharmacy Technician employed in VHA on the effective date of the qualification standard (11/7/2023) 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 in this standard but who met the qualifications applicable to the position at the time they were appointed to it, the following provisions apply:
  1. Employees may be reassigned, promoted up to and including the full performance (journey) level or changed to lower grade within the occupation but may not be promoted beyond the journeyman level or placed in supervisory or managerial positions.
  2. 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.
  3. 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.
  4. Employees who are converted to title 38 hybrid status under this provision and subsequently leave the occupation lose protected status and must meet the full VA qualification standard requirements in effect at the time of re-entry to the occupation.
  5. 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.
(limit characters)
Basic Requirements: To qualify for appointment to this position, all applicants must possess the following: (limit characters)
1. Are you proficient in spoken and written English as required by 38 U.S.C. 7403(f)? (limit characters)
Grade Level Requirements - Please select the appropriate answer to each of the following questions based on your background and experience that demonstrates your ability to perform the duties of this position. When answering the questionnaire, remember that your experience and education are subject to verification by investigation. (limit characters)
2. GS-03 Pharmacy Technician - Experience/Education Requirement: In addition to meeting the basic requirements, to qualify for the GS-03 you meet one of the following experience and/or education grade level requirements. Please select the following answer that best describes your level of experience and/or education. (limit characters)
3. GS-04 Pharmacy Technician - Experience/Education Requirement: In addition to meeting the basic requirements, to qualify for the GS-04 you meet one of the following: Completion of two years of post-secondary coursework related to pharmacy (e.g., 12 semester hours of science and mathematics courses); Six (6) months of experience, that demonstrated knowledge of medication or medical field practice; Successful completion of a military or nationally recognized pharmacy technician education/training program. American Society of Health System Pharmacists (ASHP), American Pharmacist Association (APHA), Accreditation Council for Pharmacy Education (ACPE), PTCB or NHA are examples of acceptable professional organizations recognizing such training programs. NOTE: Training courses recognized by PTCB and NHA are not actual certifications; Or One (1) year of experience equivalent to next lower grade level.
-And-
In addition to meeting the experience or education for the GS-04 level, do you possess the following Knowledge, Skills and Abilities?
- Ability to follow policies and procedures.
- Ability to maintain appropriate files.
- Ability to communicate with patients and other health professionals.
- Ability to follow both written and verbal instructions.
- Ability to operate office software/equipment to include, computers, software applications and printers.
(limit characters)
4. GS-05 Pharmacy Technician - Experience/Education Requirement: In addition to meeting the basic requirements, to qualify for the GS-05 you meet one of the following: Successful completion of four years post-secondary education with courses related to pharmacy (e.g., 48 semester hours of science, mathematics, pharmacy) or a bachelor's degree; An associate's degree in pharmacy technician or technology (48 semester hours of concentrated pharmacy technician training); or One (1) year of experience equivalent to the next lower grade level.
-AND-
In addition to meeting the experience or education for the GS-05 level, do you possess the following Knowledge, Skills and Abilities?
- Knowledge of basic pharmacy operations.
- Knowledge of pharmaceuticals to perform duties in pharmacy functional areas.
- Knowledge of pharmaceutical nomenclature (including generic, chemical, and proprietary names of drug).
- Ability to fill prescriptions.
- Ability to use pharmacy information systems or basic pharmacy dispensing equipment with oversight.
(limit characters)
5. GS-06 Pharmacy Technician (Full Performance Level) Experience Requirement: In addition to meeting the basic requirements, you must possess at least one (1) year of experience equivalent to the next lower grade level (GS-05).
-AND-
In addition to meeting the experience for the GS-06 level, do you possess the following Knowledge, Skills and Abilities?
- Knowledge of Federal and state laws related to pharmacy practice.
- Knowledge of preparation, storage and distribution of medication products including those requiring special handling and documentation.
- Ability to use pharmacy information systems or operate pharmacy dispensing equipment.
- Knowledge of basic inventory procedures.
- Ability to communicate with patients and staff and direct questions to appropriate personnel.
(limit characters)