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Veterans Health Administration

Pharmacist(Clinical Spec)- Pain Management/Pain/SUD

Department of Veterans Affairs · Multiple Locations

Salary
$164,001 - $228,000 per year
Pay grade
GS-13
Schedule
Full-time
Appointment
Permanent
Opened
Nov 4, 2026
Closes
Nov 12, 2026
Remote
No
Telework eligible
Yes
Openings
1
Security clearance
Not Required
Promotion potential
None
Announcement
CBSW-13106847-27-CCM

Who may apply: Competitive service · Excepted service · Internal to an agency

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Summary

This position is eligible for the Education Debt Reduction Program (EDRP), a student loan payment reimbursement program. You must meet specific eligibility requirements per VHA policy and submit your EDRP application within four months of appointment. Program Approval, award amount (up to $200,000) & eligibility period (one to five years) are determined by the VHA Education Loan Repayment Services program office after review of the EDRP application. Former EDRP participants ineligible to apply.

Duties

  • The Clinical Pharmacy Specialist (CPS) is an advanced practice provider who independently delivers comprehensive medication management for patients with pain +/­- substance use disorders (SUD). They design and monitor therapeutic plans, prescribe and adjust medications, perform assessments, order tests, and collaborate with interdisciplinary teams to improve patient function and safety. Clinical - Direct Patient Care Activities Provides advanced comprehensive medication management (CMM) for chronic pain conditions. Prescribes, adjusts, and monitors medications; performs focused assessments and medication reconciliation. Orders, monitors, and interprets labs including urine drug screens; implements follow-up on treatment actions as supported by lab interpretations. Performs rating scales on pain control, symptoms and functional status. Queries and documents Prescription Drug Monitoring Program (POMP) findings. Screens for SUD, performs brief interventions, addresses aberrant behaviors provides overdose education, and prescribes naloxone when indicated. Performs suicide risk assessments Coordinates care within the interdisciplinary team and makes referrals for higher-level or specialty care when indicated. Address other care needs and refers patients to other services for other needed care, as deemed appropriate (e.g., mental health/PC Behavioral Health, physical therapy, yoga, etc.). Manages co-morbidities within scope; supports MOUD screening and education Follows up via face-to-face, telehealth, eConsult, telephone, secure messaging and other modalities to provide patient care. Clinical - Indirect Patient Care Activities Reviews medication regimens for safety, effectiveness, potential interactions or contraindications, and optimization; provides recommendations. Monitors and reports adverse drug events; identifies high-risk patients using population health tools. Interprets labs and adjusts therapy; contributes expert input to complex care discussions. Supports medication use evaluations, safety initiatives, and compliance with OSI and other programs. Completes timely, accurate documentation. Education Provides formal and informal education and in-services to pharmacy, medical, nursing and other staff as requested. Serves as a subject matter expert for pain management and SUD for assigned committees, workgroups or interdisciplinary teams. Provides education to patients, their families and caregivers about medications, patient responsibilities, and information on health promotion. Participates in self-development activities to maintain and strengthen professional competence in pain management and SUD. Willing to serve as a clinical instructor or preceptor for pharmacy students and/or residents. Assists in new employee orientation education sessions as needed. Program Management & Administration Contributes to the appropriate, effective, and safe use of pharmaceuticals through criteria development, data collection, drug use evaluation, and other quality improvement initiatives as assigned. Ensures compliance with regulatory and accreditation standards. Contributes to performance metric improvement and Pharmacy and Therapeutics (P& T) committee activities. Maintains productive interdepartmental relationships through committee membership, proactive problem resolution, and close collaboration with other services in support of the medical center's mission and goals. Work Schedule: Mon-Fri, 8:00am-4;30pm Compressed/Flexible: Telework: Ad-Hoc only Virtual: This is not a virtual position. Functional Statement #: 11372F Relocation/Recruitment Incentives: Not Authorized EDRP Authorized: Former EDRP participants ineligible to apply for incentive. Contact V21CCOEEDRP@va.gov, the EDRP Coordinator for questions/assistance. Learn more Permanent Change of Station (PCS): Not Authorized

Qualifications

Preferred Experience: PGY-1 Residency and completion of a PGY-2 Residency in Pain Management or equivalent training. Applicants pending the completion of educational or certification/licensure requirements may be referred and tentatively selected but may not be hired until all requirements are met. Basic Requirements: 1. United States Citizenship: Non-citizens may only be appointed when it is not possible to recruit qualified citizens in accordance with VA Policy. 2. English Proficiency: Pharmacists must be proficient in spoken and written English as required by 38 U.S.C. 7402(d), and 7407(d). 3. Education: 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.) 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 InternetBased Test (TOEFL iBT). 4. 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.NOTE: Individuals who have or have had multiple licenses and had any such license revoked for professional misconduct, professional incompetence or substandard care, or who surrendered such license after receiving written notice of potential termination of such license by the State for professional misconduct, professional incompetence, or substandard care, are not eligible for appointment to the position unless such revoked or surrendered license is fully restored (38 U.S.C. § 7402(f)). Effective November 30, 1999, this is a requirement for employment. This requirement does not apply to licensed pharmacists on VA rolls as of that date, provided they maintain continuous appointment and are not disqualified for employment by any subsequent revocations or voluntary surrenders of State license, registration or certification. Grandfathering Provision: All licensed pharmacists employed in VHA in this occupation on the effective date of this qualification standard 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 required in this standard, but who met the qualifications applicable to the position at the time they were appointed to it, the following provisions apply: Employees grandfathered into the GS-0660 occupational series 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 journey level or placed in supervisory or managerial positions. Employees who are appointed on a temporary basis prior to the effective date of the qualification stand…

Education

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/.

Job data from USAJOBS.gov. Careers.org is not affiliated with or endorsed by OPM. Retrieved Nov 4, 2026, 1:54 AM EST.