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.
Total Rewards of a Allied Health Professional The GS 8 Lead Pharmacy Technician for Outpatient Pharmacy serves as an advanced, highly skilled technical expert responsible for coordinating, overseeing, and supporting complex outpatient pharmacy operations.
The incumbent applies expert knowledge of Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) regulations; Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) and Veterans Health Administration (VHA) policies; 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.
As a lead technician, the incumbent 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 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.
In addition, 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 position also serves as the designated backup for the Controlled Substances Technician during scheduled leave or unscheduled absences.
In this capacity, the incumbent performs controlled substance dispensing, ADC restocking, medication room inspections, quality control practices, training support, and other duties necessary to ensure consistent, compliant, and uninterrupted pharmacy operations across both inpatient and outpatient environments. Work Schedule: Monday - Friday, 8:00 a.m. - 4:30 p.m., Rotating Schedules: 8:30 a.m. - 5:00 p.m., 9:00 a.m. - 5:30 p.m., 10:00 a.m.
- 6:30 p.m.; 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 #: Lead Pharmacy Technician 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/.
This position is with Veterans Health Administration, Department of Veterans Affairs.
The posted pay range is $62642 – $81431/yr.
Applications close on 2026-11-04.
This position is open under the 'Fed Internal Search' hiring path.
Source: USAJOBS.gov — U.S. Federal Government · Retrieved 2026-10-28 · Not affiliated with or endorsed by OPM or USAJOBS.gov
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