The pharmacy technician will coordinate and perform technical activities related to medication dispensing, inventory maintenance, and sterile compounding under pharmacist supervision. They are also responsible for maintaining medication security, managing inpatient Epic In-Baskets, and assisting with the training of students and new staff.
Requirements overview
Candidates must hold a high school diploma or equivalent and be registered with the Iowa Board of Pharmacy. Applicants must have either two years of post-high school experience/education in natural sciences or have completed an accredited pharmacy technician training program.
Our WE CARE Values
Welcoming: We have an environment where everyone has a voice that is heard, promotes dignity, and allows all to thrive in health, work, research, and education.
Excellence: We achieve and deliver our personal and collective best in the pursuit of quality and accessible health care, education, and research.
Collaboration: We collaborate with health care systems, providers, and communities across Iowa and the region, as well as within our UI community. Teamwork, guided by compassion, is the best way to work.
Accountability: We behave ethically, act with fairness and integrity, take responsibility for our actions, and respond when errors in behavior or judgment occur.
Respect: We create an environment where every individual feels safe, valued, and respected, supporting the well-being and success of all members of our community.
Empowerment: We commit to fair access to research, health care, and education for our community, along with opportunities for personal and professional growth for our staff and learners.
Mission
Changing Medicine. Changing Lives.
As Iowa’s comprehensive academic health system, University of Iowa Health Care:
• Provides high-quality primary and specialty care to patients and families across Iowa and the region
• Educates and trains the next generation of physicians, biomedical scientists, and health care professionals
• Advances research that improves understanding of human health and leads to new treatments and therapies
• Partners with communities to expand access, improve health outcomes, and strengthen overall well-being
Vision
To be among the nation’s best in medical education, biomedical research, and patient care—improving the health and well-being of Iowans and communities we serve.
Recognitions/ Awards
Named to Forbes America’s Best Employers for Healthcare Professionals (2025) and included in additional Forbes employer rankings for workplace excellence and early-career opportunities.
The University of Iowa Health Care, Department of Pharmaceutical Care is seeking a full-time AM Pharmacy Technician, certified or trainee to work in our Acute Care, Central Pharmacy. This position is under general pharmacist supervision, coordinates and performs as necessary the technical activities of dispensing areas. Under general supervision of technician supervisor, carries out activities supportive of development, coordination, and training of assigned areas. Provides functional supervision as required. This position will work 8 hour shifts between the hours of 6:00 am - 3:30 pm, working alternating weekends with variable days off.
The Department of Pharmaceutical Care intends to hire at either the Pharmacy Technician, Trainee classification, or Pharmacy Technician, Certified, based on the qualifications of the successful candidate. Please indicate in your application materials the position you wish to be considered for or indicate both.
Duties to include:
Perform activities associated with inventory maintenance in satellites and dispensing areas including emergency drug supplies.
Review pharmacy medication inventory for expired medications.
Maintain medication inventory levels according to established par levels when available.
Manage inpatient Epic In-Baskets which includes printing labels for missing medications, determining the amount of medication required to prepare the intended dose, preparing and/or package of medications; preparing the label; documentation of activities and printing the discharge patient list and removing their medication from the patient care unit.
Deliver medications to patient care areas, return medications from patient care areas that are no longer needed.
Ensure that medication security is maintained when working in the patient care unit medication rooms. This includes the integrity of security (door/lock etc.), security of medications inside the medication room (controlled substances locked properly), medications inside room are stored correctly (properly dated and refrigerated is needed).
Maintain accurate controls and security regarding controlled substances both in and out of the pharmacy area, including inventory records regarding preparation and delivery to patient care areas.
Generate, review and maintain (includes filing) appropriate records related to medication distribution and dispensing. (Forms 127P, 131).
Utilize various equipment including, laminar flow hoods, computerized label printers, pharmaceutical packaging and compounding equipment and pneumatic tube system. Utilize, OmnicellXT Medstations, MTS-350 and Med Carousel and other automated dispensing equipment.
Maintains cleanliness of BSC and other equipment and the clean room in accordance with policies and procedures.
Completes quality assurance activities and quality control records for documentation of appropriate sterile compounding processes.
Maintain competencies in proper sterile product preparation.
Utilize and adhere to aseptic technique when preparing and manipulating sterile products, including proper handwashing, garbing, product handling and observance of airflow issues within the clean room facility.
Compound sterile products including anti-neoplastic drugs in bulk supplies and single doses; utilize aseptic technique in BSC.
Maintain proper handling and proper worker safety precautions regarding medications that are considered hazardous (antineoplastic medications) or medications that become hazardous upon waste (EPA designated waste).
Package and compound non-sterile products in bulk supplies and single doses.
Conducts and documents monthly inspections of patient care areas.
Assist with on-the-job training of pharmacy students and new technicians; may provide functional supervisor to student technicians.
Perform activities involving narcotics and controlled substances including daily, weekly and monthly inventories; order replacement supplies from internal source and review documentation records for completeness and contact manager if documentation is not complete.
Perform tasks associated with refilling OmnicellXT Medstations including following proper procedures in picking correct medications to restock OmnicellXT Medstations, following proper procedures in restocking OmnicellXT Medstations.
Assisting pharmacist in conducting inspection of all medications stored on patient care unit.
MINIMUM ELIGIBILITY REQUIREMENTS FOR CERTIFIED TECHNICIAN:
Registered with the Iowa Board of Pharmacy at the time of hire.
National certification through the Pharmacy Technician Certification Board (PTCB) or the National Healthcareer Association (NHA). Must meet ongoing education requirements and maintain certification.
High school diploma or the equivalent.
Experience
Any combination of two years of post-high school experience and/or education in the natural sciences OR
Satisfactory completion of an accredited pharmacy technician training program
MINIMUM ELIGIBILITY REQUIREMENTS FOR TRAINEE TECHNICIAN:
Registered with the Pharmacy Board at the time of hire.
All pharmacy technicians must be certified within one year of employment, unless their Pharmacy Technician Trainee registration has been extended by the Iowa Board of Pharmacy. In such cases, the technician may continue to work under trainee status, in accordance with the guidelines established by the Board and Iowa Code.
High school diploma or the equivalent.
Experience:
Any combination of two years of post-high school experience and/or education in the natural sciences OR
Satisfactory completion of an accredited pharmacy technician training program.
Desired Qualifications:
Ability to perform ratio/proportion equations
Experience with inventory maintenance activities
Experience working in team environment
Experience working in detail-oriented work environment
Knowledge of windows-based computer programs
Experience working in environment requiring accuracy
Experience working in healthcare with one-on-one patient interaction & experience handling challenging interactions in work environment.
Position and Application details:
Resume is required to be considered for an interview, applicants must upload the document and mark them as a “Relevant File” to the submission:
Job openings are posted for a minimum of 10 calendar days and may be removed from posting and filled any time after the original posting period has ended.
Successful candidates will be required to self-disclose any conviction history and will be subject to a criminal background check and credential/education verification. Up to 5 professional references will be requested at a later step in the recruitment process.
For additional questions, please contact Teresa Walker at teresa-walker@uiowa.edu.
The Department of Pharmaceutical Care intends to hire at either the Pharmacy Technician, Trainee classification (Pay Grade 8), or Pharmacy Technician, Certified (Pay Grade 10), based on the qualifications of the successful candidate. Please indicate in your application materials the position you wish to be considered for or indicate both.
University of Iowa•Iowa City, Iowa, United States