The Lead Pharmacy Technician for Outpatient Pharmacy and Controlled Substances serves as an advanced, highly skilled technical expert responsible for coordinating, overseeing, and supporting complex outpatient and controlled substance operations.
Employees at this level independently perform assignments of substantial difficulty with minimal supervision, applying expert knowledge of Drug Enforcement Agency (DEA) regulations, U.S Department of Veterans Affairs (VA)/ Veterans Health Administration (VHA) policies, automated dispensing technologies, outpatient workflow, and controlled substance accountability.The incumbent acts as a subject matter expert and primary resource for technicians working within controlled substance areas, ensuring strict compliance, accuracy, and diversion prevention standards.
As a pharmacy technician, the incumbent provides day to day operational direction, assesses workload demands, assigns tasks to support efficient workflow, and ensures automation, equipment, and inventory systems remain fully functional and optimized. 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 participating in service wide quality improvement activities. The Controlled Substance Technician also plays a key role in maintaining clear, consistent, and effective communication across the outpatient and controlled substance teams.
This includes assisting with communication flow, reinforcing shared expectations, ensuring staff receive timely updates, and helping maintain alignment. The technician actively supports and promotes transparent information sharing, problem resolution, and coordination among staff to enhance operational consistency and team cohesion. In addition to these responsibilities, the technician provides operational coverage for outpatient pharmacy technicians as needed.
This includes performing medication dispensing, prescription preparation, call center support, inventory management, automated dispensing cabinet stocking/restocking and assisting with daily production and service continuity. The technician also performs quality assurance (QA) checks (monthly inspections, medication room audits, automation QA tasks) and workflow quality checkpoints.
The position additionally serves as the designated backup for the Lead Inpatient Controlled Substances Technician during scheduled leave or unplanned absences.
In this capacity, the incumbent performs controlled substance dispensing, restocking automated dispensing cabinets, medication room inspections, quality-control practices, training support and other duties necessary to ensure consistent, compliant and uninterrupted pharmacy operations across inpatient and outpatient environments.
Controlled Substances Operations (Primary Specialty) Prepares, fills, dispenses, and manages controlled substance orders per all VA, VHA, DEA and facility policies.
Accurately interprets and processes controlled substance outpatient prescriptions, selecting the correct medication, strength and dosage form; measures, counts and prepares required quantities; affixes all required labeling; and documents dispensing activities in full compliance with Federal and State law, DEA regulations, and VA policy.
Following final pharmacist verification, dispenses controlled substances for ambulatory care, passes, discharges, hospital use, and long-term care. Coordinates timely processing and delivery of outpatient controlled substances, utilizing current mail labeling, hazardous material (HAZMAT) handling and tracking systems to ensure timely, safe, secure and accurate distribution. Periodically evaluates and adjusts delivery schedules to enhance workflow efficiency.
Duties are continued in the education Section of this announcement: Total Rewards of a Allied Health Professional Work Schedule: Monday - Friday, 8 AM - 4:30 PM, with rotating holidays 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
There are no education requirements for this position. 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: https://sites.ed.gov/international/recognition-of-foreign-qualifications/. Duties Continued: Conducts required inventories every 72 hours or updated twice weekly requirements as directed by policy.
Performs daily reconciliation of all controlled substances received, stored, dispensed, wasted, transferred or destroyed. Coordinates and assists Controlled Substance Compliance Inspectors with monthly inspections; prepares audit documentation. Manages the outpatient controlled substance accountability and distribution program, regularly evaluating vulnerabilities, identifying deviations and elevating concerns to the Chief of Pharmacy or designee.
Recommends process improvements to reduce diversion risk and strengthen compliance. Maintains accurate electronic inventory: decrementing, receiving, transfers to automatic dispensing cabinets (ADCs), vault dispensing and returns.
Maintains adequate but minimal stock levels of all scheduled medications in the Master and Outpatient Vaults by performing routine inventory assessments, bar coding and prepacking items for readiness, communicating procurement needs to the Pharmacy Procurement Specialist and rotating inventory to remove outdated stock.
Maintains precise, continuous perpetual inventory of all controlled substances across all primary and secondary storage areas by ensuring every item is accurately tracked, recorded and reconciled in real time. Upholds strict accountability standards by maintaining exact on hand balances in accordance with VHA and all applicable DEA regulations, ensuring full compliance with federal policy, VA requirements and controlled substance management procedures.
Manages destruction and return processes for controlled substances per DEA and VHA guidelines. Prepares, monitors, and analyzes controlled substance usage reports, considering factors such as patient census; investigates discrepancies; and reports abnormalities immediately to supervisors or the Chief of Pharmacy Service. Oversees storage integrity by ensuring controlled substance stock is secure, locked, segregated, sealed and maintained within working stock limits.
Manages all processes involving VA Form 10 2638 ("Green Sheet") during ADC/ Veterans Health Information and Technology Architecture (VistA) outages. Collecting forms from nursing units and all pharmacy areas; reconciling balances; reviewing for discrepancies; auditing recordkeeping; conducting spot checks; and notifying leadership of deviations or improper documentation.
Provides controlled substance training and education to pharmacists, physicians, narcotic inspectors, pharmacy technicians, residents and students on proper handling, security, distribution, and documentation requirements. Regularly communicates controlled substance policy and procedure updates to facility personnel to maintain shared understanding and compliance.
Executes the annual controlled substance inventory for both Master and Outpatient Vaults with strict accuracy to support Pharmacy Service audit and inspection requirements. Applies comprehensive knowledge of Federal and State laws, DEA regulations, VA directives and facility policies governing controlled substance distribution throughout the medical center.
Ensures compliance with all Veterans Integrated Service Network (VISN), Office of Inspector General (OIG), The Joint Commission (TJC), Veterans Affairs Central Office (VACO), DEA and facility level requirements. Oversees the outpatient controlled substance accountability and distribution program; regularly evaluates program integrity, identifies vulnerabilities, communicates findings to leadership and recommends improvements to reduce risk and strengthen compliance.
Collaborates closely with the Inpatient Controlled Substance Technician and the Pharmacy Procurement Specialist to ensure seamless coverage of all controlled substance responsibilities, maintaining uninterrupted operations during periods of leave, high workload, or staffing gaps. Serves as the work leader for the assigned area, ensuring daily tasks and work assignments are carried out efficiently; seeks supervisory assistance for major issues or complex problems when needed.
Monitors work in progress to ensure compliance with policies, Pharmacy Service procedures, departmental instructions and controlled substance requirements. Orients, trains and instructs pharmacy employees and students in specialized tasks, job techniques, controlled substance workflow, automation use and regulatory compliance standards.
Independently gathers, evaluates, and analyzes operational data to generate reports, identify trends, support audits and complete management assigned projects. Responds to and resolves routine, informal outpatient pharmacy concerns; appropriately escalates more complex or formal issues to the Associate Chief of Pharmacy Operations, Chief of Pharmacy or Controlled Substance Manager.
Evaluates workload volume, identifies backlogs, redistributes or adjusts staff to meet operational targets. Duties are continued in the Additional Information section:
This position is with Veterans Health Administration, Department of Veterans Affairs.
The posted pay range is $62642 – $81431/yr.
Applications close on 2026-09-29.
This position is open under the 'Fed Internal Search' hiring path.
Source: USAJOBS.gov — U.S. Federal Government
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