NICU Clinical Pharmacist

NICU Clinical Pharmacist Specialist

Location: Houston, Texas 77030
Position Type: Full-Time, Exempt / Salaried
Schedule: 5 × 8-hour shifts, days
On-Call: Approximately every 8–9 weeks
Travel: Not required
Visa Sponsorship: Not available
Openings: 1
Salary: $131,000 – $156,000 per year
Relocation Assistance: May be available on a case-by-case basis

Position Overview

Our client is seeking a highly qualified and residency-trained NICU Clinical Pharmacist Specialist to join its pediatric pharmacy team in Houston, Texas.

This is a specialized clinical pharmacy position focused on providing safe, evidence-based pharmaceutical care to critically ill neonates within a high-acuity Neonatal Intensive Care Unit (NICU).

The successful candidate will work collaboratively with neonatologists, physicians, nurses, pharmacists, pharmacy residents, students, and other members of the multidisciplinary healthcare team.

The ideal candidate will have completed a PGY2 residency in Pediatrics with significant dedicated NICU clinical experience. Candidates who have completed a PGY2 residency in Critical Care may also be considered if they possess current and substantial NICU experience.

This position provides an opportunity to deliver direct patient-care services, support medication safety and optimization, contribute to clinical education and research, and help develop and improve clinical pharmacy services within the NICU.

Required Qualifications

Candidates must meet the following requirements:

• Doctor of Pharmacy (PharmD) degree.
• Completion of a PGY2 residency in Pediatrics.
• Candidates with a PGY2 residency in Critical Care may be considered if they have current NICU experience.
• Dedicated NICU clinical pharmacy experience, or significant NICU-focused experience obtained during PGY2 residency training.
• Demonstrated experience providing direct clinical pharmacy services to critically ill neonates.
• Current Texas Pharmacy License.
• Strong clinical judgment and decision-making skills.
• Excellent communication and interpersonal skills.
• Ability to work effectively as part of a multidisciplinary clinical team.
• Ability to educate, mentor, and support pharmacy students, residents, pharmacists, physicians, nurses, and other healthcare professionals.
• Knowledge of pharmacy and hospital information systems.
• Familiarity with computer-assisted medication systems and pharmacy technology.
• Understanding of the healthcare reimbursement environment.

Key Responsibilities

The NICU Clinical Pharmacist Specialist will provide specialized clinical pharmacy services while supporting medication safety, clinical education, quality improvement, research, and the continued development of pharmacy practice.

Direct Clinical Pharmacy Services

• Provide direct clinical pharmacy services to critically ill neonates in the NICU.
• Collaborate with physicians, neonatologists, nurses, pharmacists, and other healthcare professionals to optimize medication therapy.
• Provide clinical recommendations relating to medication selection, dosing, monitoring, safety, and effectiveness.
• Serve as a clinical pharmacy resource for complex neonatal medication-related questions.
• Support evidence-based medication management for critically ill neonatal patients.
• Monitor medication therapy and identify opportunities to improve safety and clinical outcomes.
• Promote safe and effective medication-use practices.
• Facilitate continuity of pharmaceutical care between the NICU, Pharmacy, and other areas of care.

Clinical Pharmacy Development

• Identify and implement opportunities to improve clinical pharmacy services.
• Work collaboratively with pharmacy and clinical teams to evaluate and improve medication-use processes.
• Develop, coordinate, and evaluate target-drug programs and restricted-drug programs.
• Participate in medication-use assessments and drug-utilization evaluation programs.
• Develop and implement utilization reviews for expensive, high-risk, potentially harmful, or improperly utilized medications.
• Identify opportunities for appropriate cost containment without compromising patient safety or quality of care.
• Participate in medication-use-based performance improvement initiatives.

Education & Mentoring

• Serve as a clinical resource for pharmacy staff, physicians, nurses, students, residents, and other healthcare professionals.
• Educate and mentor pharmacy students, residents, staff pharmacists, and peers.
• Participate in pharmacy orientation and continuing education programs.
• Assist with the development and implementation of clinical pharmacy education for physicians and nursing staff.
• Serve as a preceptor and mentor for pharmacy learners and less experienced staff.
• Support and oversee clinical student and residency activities.
• Promote professional development and competent clinical pharmacy practice.

Research & Quality Improvement

• Participate in clinical research evaluating the clinical and economic outcomes associated with medications and medication regimens.
• Contribute to pharmacy and NICU quality-improvement initiatives.
• Help evaluate medication-use processes and identify opportunities for improvement.
• Participate in initiatives designed to improve medication safety, clinical outcomes, efficiency, and resource utilization.
• Work with multidisciplinary teams to identify and implement improvements in patient care.

Leadership & Collaboration

• Promote teamwork and effective working relationships across pharmacy and clinical departments.
• Lead or facilitate appropriate clinical work groups and pharmacy initiatives.
• Maintain effective communication systems to ensure the timely flow of information between pharmacy staff and clinical teams.
• Serve as a professional role model and resource for colleagues.
• Support department and organizational goals relating to quality, safety, productivity, and patient care.

Compliance & Professional Responsibilities

• Ensure safe care for patients, staff, and visitors.
• Follow all applicable organizational policies, procedures, professional standards, and regulatory requirements.
• Maintain required continuing education and professional competencies.
• Support department-based goals and initiatives.
• Manage time, resources, supplies, productivity, and quality of service effectively.
• Demonstrate a commitment to compassionate, personalized, and efficient patient care.
• Perform other duties as assigned.

Schedule

The position follows a full-time daytime schedule:

• Five 8-hour shifts per week
• Day shifts
• On-call rotation approximately every 8–9 weeks
• No routine travel required

This is an exempt, salaried position.

Compensation & Benefits

Annual Salary: $131,000 – $156,000

The position includes a comprehensive benefits package, including:

• Medical insurance
• Dental insurance
• Vision insurance
• Life insurance
• Retirement / 401(k)
• Paid time off
• Additional employee benefits and programs

*Relocation assistance may be available on a case-by-case basis.*

About the Opportunity

This opportunity is with an established healthcare organization in Houston, Texas, providing specialized pediatric and neonatal care.

The pharmacy team works as an integral part of a multidisciplinary clinical environment, partnering with physicians, nurses, advanced practice providers, pharmacists, and other healthcare professionals to provide individualized care to critically ill pediatric and neonatal patients.

The successful candidate will have the opportunity to work in a highly specialized clinical setting while contributing to patient care, pharmacy practice development, education, research, and quality improvement.

Ideal Candidate

The ideal candidate will be a clinically focused pharmacist with strong neonatal experience and a demonstrated ability to function effectively in a high-acuity environment.

Candidates should be able to demonstrate:

• Strong knowledge of neonatal clinical pharmacy practice.
• Experience caring for critically ill neonates.
• Experience providing direct clinical pharmacy services within a NICU.
• Strong clinical judgment and medication-management skills.
• Excellent communication and interpersonal skills.
• Ability to collaborate effectively with multidisciplinary clinical teams.
• Experience or interest in pharmacy education and mentoring.
• Ability to contribute to research and quality-improvement initiatives.
• Ability to identify opportunities to improve clinical pharmacy services.
• Commitment to safe, evidence-based, patient-centered care.

Interview Process

Qualified candidates can expect a multi-stage interview process:

1. Recruiter Interview

An initial conversation covering:

• Professional background
• Residency training
• NICU experience
• Texas pharmacy licensure
• Career objectives
• Interest in the opportunity
• Availability to start

2. Pharmacy Leadership Interview

A more detailed discussion with pharmacy leadership regarding:

• Clinical experience
• Residency training
• Neonatal patient care
• Clinical decision-making
• Medication safety
• Multidisciplinary collaboration
• Education and mentoring experience

3. Panel Interview

The final stage may include a panel consisting of pharmacy peers and clinical providers.

Candidates may also be asked to complete a clinical presentation as part of the interview process.

Initial Screening Questions

Candidates should be prepared to answer the following questions:

• Why are you currently considering a new employment opportunity?
• Why are you interested in this NICU Clinical Pharmacist Specialist position?
• Do you currently hold an active Texas Pharmacy License?
• If selected, when would you be available to start?
• Please describe your pharmacy residency training.
• Please describe your NICU clinical pharmacy experience.
• Please describe any NICU-focused experience gained during your PGY2 residency.
• Please describe your experience providing direct clinical pharmacy services to critically ill neonates.
• Describe your experience working as part of a multidisciplinary NICU team.
• Tell us about a challenging medication-management situation involving a critically ill neonatal patient and how you approached it.
• Describe your experience with medication-use evaluations, clinical research, quality improvement, or pharmacy practice development.
• Describe your experience precepting, mentoring, or educating pharmacy students, residents, pharmacists, physicians, or nurses.
• How do you approach medication safety and clinical decision-making when caring for critically ill neonates?
• What interests you most about specializing in neonatal clinical pharmacy?
• What are you looking for in your next clinical pharmacy position?

Position Summary

This is an opportunity for a residency-trained clinical pharmacist with specialized NICU experience to join a multidisciplinary pediatric healthcare environment in Houston.

The successful candidate will provide direct clinical pharmacy services to critically ill neonates while contributing to medication safety, clinical education, pharmacy practice development, research, quality improvement, and multidisciplinary patient care.

Key Requirements at a Glance:

• PharmD required
• PGY2 Pediatrics residency required
• PGY2 Critical Care may be considered with current NICU experience
• Dedicated NICU clinical pharmacy experience required
• Direct experience providing clinical pharmacy services to critically ill neonates required
• Active Texas Pharmacy License required
• Full-time daytime schedule
• 5 × 8-hour shifts
• On-call approximately every 8–9 weeks
• Houston, Texas
• $131,000–$156,000 annual salary
• Relocation assistance may be available
• No visa sponsorship

Pay: $130,000.00 - $156,000.00 per year

Benefits:

• Employee stock purchase plan
• Family leave
• Health insurance

Work Location: In person