Pharmacist (Facility Program Manager) - Informatics and Automation

Pharmacist (Facility Program Manager) - Informatics and Automation

Department: Department of Veterans Affairs

Location(s): Walla Walla, Washington

Salary Range: $129114 - $167850 Per Year

Job Summary: The Pharmacist (Facility Program Manager) - Informatics and Automation must be a licensed pharmacist and is accountable to the Chief of Pharmacy or designee for providing direction, organization planning, and implementation of Pharmacy programs which promotes stewardship, patient centered care, enhanced patient safety, and optimize drug related outcomes in a cost-effective manner with evidence based pharmaceutical care.

Major Duties:

• Functions of the position include, but are not limited to: Informatics and Automation Specialist Serves as informatics and Automation Coordinator for Pharmacy Services. Works collaboratively with pharmacy managers and other healthcare disciplines to develop and implement local, VISN and National initiatives to improve patient care and cost efficiency. Responsible for maintaining facility and pharmacy-related informatics and automation security policies, procedures and practices for pharmacy package users and provides training to all new users. Coordinates with Information Technology staff, and other application coordinators to implement integrated packages, resolve conflicts, provide secondary support on related software modules, and ensure smooth operations in areas where package scope overlaps or is integrated with other services' function. Serves as coordinator for the implementation and verification of new packages, program development, enhancement, troubleshooting, and problem prevention. Serves as the coordinator for the implementation and verification of new and existing automation within the pharmacy division and serves as the POC for automation for the division. Maintains Pharmacy files for optimum function of pharmacy packages and other related facility packages ensuring uniform format and data accuracy. Manages pharmacy automation and software. Assists with the integration of software for various computer-driven pharmaceutical equipment such as labeling devices, unit dose packaging equipment, automated outpatient/inpatient medication systems with various work processing systems. Administration Shares responsibility for ensuring compliance with a wide variety of regulatory requirements. Demonstrates knowledge of medical center memorandums, policies and procedures related to pharmaceutical services and thorough knowledge of Pharmacy Service policies, procedures, memorandums, and directives applicable to areas of responsibility. Plans, directs, manages, monitors, evaluates, enhances, and promotes innovative technology and automation programs provided by the Pharmacy Division. Serves on various National, VISN, Medical Center and Division Committees as assigned. Performs, when necessary, duties assigned to a Clinical Pharmacist. Reviews activities within assigned areas for compliance to standard of practice. Actively participates, promotes, and leads process improvement projects, supports staff in participating in process improvement projects. Clinical-Indirect Patient Care Activities Maintains general knowledge of current therapeutic diseases state management practices, VA, DEA and TJC regulations as well as to keep abreast of changes within the pharmacy services. Assists in the review and adjudication of Prior Authorization Drug Requests (PADRS) when assigned. Monitors and reports of drug errors, adverse drug reactions, allergies, and patient compliance issues. Reviews relevant population management dashboards to identify patients who may benefit from engagement in care for clinical management and/or risk mitigation. Responsible for the review of medication regimens within area of clinical practice and notifying providers of any findings that might require action. Medication Dispensing and Distribution General Functions Assists customers at the pharmacy window and answers the telephone. Prepares, verifies, and dispenses outpatient or inpatient prescriptions, orders, consultations, etc. from a variety of sources. Controlled Substances Prepares and dispenses all medication orders and requests for controlled substances using ScriptPro and the FEHR and follows VA policies and DEA rules and regulations. Monitors and analyzes orders and distribution patterns to identify questionable circumstances or unusual trends that may suggest diversion or increased usage. Ensures drug accountability by verifying count (initial and back counts) with each dispensing activity and comparing it to electronic records for accuracy. Follows hospital policy for disposition of expired and/or unusable controlled substances. Education and Training Creates an environment to stimulate, encourage and support the participation of pharmacy personnel in providing drug information to the hospital staff and other facilities as deemed appropriate. Manages and coordinates training of new and backup pharmacy staff and contributes to competency assessment of staff. Completes all mandatory training as required by local, VISN and national mandates within established timeframes. Attends and actively participates in pharmacy activities, i.e., staff development, pharmacy meetings, etc. Work Schedule: Monday-Friday, 8am-4:30pm Telework: Not Available Virtual: This is not a virtual position. Functional Statement #: 80751-F Relocation/Recruitment Incentives: Not Authorized Permanent Change of Station (PCS): Not Authorized Financial Disclosure: Required

Qualifications: To qualify for this position, applicants must meet all requirements within 30 days of the closing date of this announcement. Basic Requirements: United States Citizenship. Non-citizens may only be appointed when it is not possible to recruit qualified citizens in accordance with VA Policy. English Language Proficiency. Pharmacists must be proficient in spoken and written English as required by 38 U.S.C. 7402(d), and 7407(d). Education. (1) Graduate of an Accreditation Council for Pharmacy Education (ACPE) accredited College or School of Pharmacy with a baccalaureate degree in pharmacy (BS Pharmacy) and/or a Doctor of Pharmacy (Pharm.D.) degree. Verification of approved degree programs may be obtained from the Accreditation Council for Pharmacy Education, 20 North Clark Street, Suite 2500, Chicago, Illinois 60602-5109; phone: (312) 664-3575, or through their Web site at: http://www.acpe-accredit.org/. (NOTE: Prior to 2005 ACPE accredited both baccalaureate and Doctor of Pharmacy terminal degree program. Today the sole degree is Doctor of Pharmacy.) (2) Graduates of foreign pharmacy degree programs meet the educational requirement if the 2 graduate is able to provide proof of achieving the Foreign Pharmacy Graduate Examination Commission (FPGEC) Certification, which includes passing the Foreign Pharmacy Graduate Equivalency Examination (FPGEE) and the Test of English as a Foreign Language Internet-Based Test (TOEFL iBT). Licensure. Full, current and unrestricted license to practice pharmacy in a State, Territory, Commonwealth of the United States (i.e., Puerto Rico), or the District of Columbia. The pharmacist must maintain current registration if this is a requirement for maintaining full, current, and unrestricted licensure. A pharmacist who has, or has ever had, any license(s) revoked, suspended, denied, restricted, limited, or issued/placed in a probationary status may be appointed only in accordance with the provisions in VA Handbook 5005, Part II, Chapter 3, section B, paragraph 16. May qualify based on being covered by the Grandfathering Provision as described in the VA Qualification Standard for this occupation (only applicable to current VHA employees who are in this occupation and meet the criteria). Grade Determinations: GS-13, Pharmacist (Facility Program Manager) Experience. In addition to the GS-12 requirements, must have 1 year of experience equivalent to the next lower grade level. Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities (KSAs). Pharmacists assigned to this position must demonstrate the following KSAs: a. Ability to communicate orally and in writing to persuade and influence clinical and management decisions. b. Expert understanding of regulatory and quality standards for their program area. c. Ability to solve problems, coordinate and organize responsibilities to maximize outcomes in their program area or area of clinical expertise. d. Expert knowledge of a specialized area of clinical pharmacy practice or specialty area of pharmacy. e. Advanced skill in monitoring and assessing the outcome of drug therapies, including physical assessment and interpretation of laboratory and other diagnostic parameters. Preferred Experience: Previous experience in pharmacy informatics, automation management, or technology-focused pharmacy operations; Hands-on experience with pharmacy automation systems such as ScriptPro, Omnicell, or similar dispensing and packaging technologies; Familiarity with EHR systems (e.g., Cerner, Epic, or VISTA) including order entry workflows, medication management, and clinical decision support; Experience supporting or implementing pharmacy-related software applications (clinical documentation tools, dispensing interfaces, inventory systems); Ability to analyze workflow, identify process gaps, and translate operational needs into system or automation solutions; Experience with data reporting or analytics for medication use, automation performance, or quality improvement; Strong project management skills, including leading or supporting system upgrades, automation installations, or interdisciplinary optimization projects; Knowledge of interfaces, system configuration, or troubleshooting for automated dispensing cabinets; Demonstrated ability to train staff and develop education materials for new technologies or workflows; Experience collaborating with IT, biomedical engineering, and multidisciplinary clinical teams; Understanding of pharmacy regulatory and safety standards related to automation and medication management. Reference: For more information on this qualification standard, please visit https://www.va.gov/ohrm/QualificationStandards/. The full performance level of this vacancy is GS-13. Physical Requirements: Light lifting and carrying (under 15 lbs.), reaching above shoulder, use of fingers, both hands required, walking, standing, repeated bending, hearing (aid may be permitted).

How to Apply: All applicants are encouraged to apply online. To apply for this position, you must complete the full questionnaire and submit the documentation specified in the Required Documents section below. The complete application package must be submitted by 11:59 PM (ET) on 03/16/2026 to receive consideration. To preview the questionnaire click https://apply.usastaffing.gov/ViewQuestionnaire/12903228. To begin, click Apply Online to create a USAJOBS account or log in to your existing account. Follow the prompts to select your USA JOBS resume and/or other supporting documents and complete the occupational questionnaire. Click Submit My Answers to submit your application package. NOTE: It is your responsibility to ensure your responses and appropriate documentation is submitted prior to the closing date.

Application Deadline: 2026-03-16