Pharmaceutical Packaging Technician Job Description

Updated on: January 27, 2018

Position Overview

A pharmaceutical packaging technician is hired by medical companies or packaging firms that deal in packing pharmaceutical items, both medicines and equipment.

These people are required to set up, calibrate, and operate pharmaceutical packaging machines and equipment, and handle minor repair and maintenance on them as well.

Position Requirements

As a pharmaceutical packaging technician, you will be required to possess a high school diploma or a GED equivalent at the very minimum. If you have worked at this position before, your experience will be considered a big plus point, and considered for the position immediately.

Since working as a pharmaceutical packaging technician means that you have to possess comprehensive knowledge of the pharmaceutical industry, especially the part that deals with documentation and packaging, any previous exposure in this regard will be welcomed by a prospective employer.

Working as a pharmaceutical packaging technician means that you have to be a well-organized individual, who is thorough in what he or she does, and possesses the capacity to handle more than one task at a time.

While working at this position, you will need to show the employer that you are hands-on in machine operations and maintenance, and can work on rotating shifts, as you may be asked to work during the graveyard shift as well. Here is a list of work duties that are particular to the position of a pharmaceutical packaging technician:

Pharmaceutical Packaging Technician Duties & Responsibilities

• Obtain orders from the supervisor, regarding packaging activities, on a daily or weekly basis.

• Ascertain that the right type and amount of supplies and items are available for each production cycle.

• Set up, calibrate and operate pharmaceutical packaging machinery at the beginning of each shift, ensuring that any issues are communicated to the supervisor.

• Feed raw materials into the packaging machine, and ensure that dials are properly regulated.

• Handle label generation activities, ensuring that the right labels are affixed on each packaged item.

• Create and maintain effective liaison with vendors and suppliers, ensuring that supplies and materials are delivered in a time efficient manner.

• Troubleshoot line stoppage, aimed at ensuring that downtime is minimized.

• Handle and oversee inventory of supplies and materials required for packaging purposes, and ensure that low stock situations are communicated to the supervisor.

• Perform both preventative and regular maintenance on packaging machines, and communicate repair needs or damages to the supervisor.

• Create and maintain logs and correlating documentation, and ensure that any incorrect information is highlighted and reported.