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Controlled Substance Jobs (NOW HIRING)

McKesson's Corporate

$83 - $139/hr

Lead or approve controlled substance nonconformance investigations, track KPIs, drive continuous improvement initiatives, and support additional distribution centers as needed. * Lead inspection ...

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Controlled Substance information

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$33K

$59K

$84.5K

How much do controlled substance jobs pay per year?

As of Sep 6, 2026, the average yearly pay for controlled substance in the United States is $59,014.00, according to ZipRecruiter salary data. Most workers in this role earn between $49,000.00 and $69,000.00 per year, depending on experience, location, and employer.

What is a controlled substance job?

Controlled substance jobs refer to roles that involve handling, dispensing, or regulating substances that are regulated by law due to their potential for abuse or addiction. These positions are commonly found in pharmacies, hospitals, laboratories, law enforcement, and government agencies. Professionals in these jobs ensure compliance with federal and state regulations regarding the storage, prescription, distribution, and disposal of controlled substances. Proper training and certification are often required to work in these sensitive roles.

What skills and qualifications are needed to work with controlled substances?

To excel as a Controlled Substance Compliance Specialist, you need a solid understanding of pharmaceutical regulations, controlled substance handling, and compliance procedures, often backed by a degree in pharmacy, chemistry, or a related field. Familiarity with DEA regulations, inventory management systems, and compliance reporting tools is essential. Attention to detail, integrity, and strong organizational skills help ensure accurate record-keeping and adherence to strict legal standards. These competencies are vital for maintaining regulatory compliance, preventing legal violations, and safeguarding public safety.

What are common challenges faced by professionals working with controlled substances in a healthcare setting?

Professionals handling controlled substances often encounter challenges such as maintaining strict compliance with regulatory requirements, ensuring accurate documentation, and preventing diversion or misuse. They must stay updated on changing laws and protocols while balancing efficiency with thoroughness during dispensing and inventory management. Effective communication and collaboration with pharmacists, physicians, and regulatory authorities are crucial to maintaining patient safety and legal compliance.

What is the difference between Controlled Substance vs Pharmacist?

AspectControlled SubstancePharmacist
Required CredentialsDEA registration, specific trainingDoctor of Pharmacy (Pharm.D.), state licensure
Work EnvironmentPharmacies, hospitals, law enforcementPharmacies, hospitals, clinics
Industry UsageRegulatory, compliance, law enforcementHealthcare, medication management
Common Search/ComparisonRegulation, handling, legalityDispensing, patient care, medication expertise

Controlled substances are drugs regulated by law due to their potential for abuse, requiring special handling and registration. Pharmacists are licensed healthcare professionals responsible for dispensing medications, including controlled substances, and providing patient care. While controlled substances refer to specific drugs, pharmacists are the professionals who manage and dispense these medications within the healthcare system.

More about Controlled Substance jobs

What are the most commonly searched types of Controlled Substance jobs?

The most popular types of Controlled Substance jobs are:

What states have the most Controlled Substance jobs?

States with the most job openings for Controlled Substance jobs include:

What job categories do people searching Controlled Substance jobs look for?

The top searched job categories for Controlled Substance jobs are:

Controlled Substance jobs near you
Infographic showing various Controlled Substance job openings in the United States as of August 2026, with employment types broken down into 1% As Needed, 80% Full Time, 15% Part Time, 2% Contract, and 2% Nights. Highlights an 96% Physical, 1% Hybrid, and 3% Remote job distribution, with an average salary of $59,014 per year, or $28.4 per hour.

QA Compliance Specialist - Controlled Substances

MCKESSON Careers

Columbus, OH • On-site

Full-time

Posted 5 days ago

Job description

McKesson is an impact-driven, Fortune 10 company that touches virtually every aspect of healthcare. We are known for delivering insights, products, and services that make quality care more accessible and affordable. Here, we focus on the health, happiness, and well-being of you and those we serve – we care.

What you do at McKesson matters. We foster a culture where you can grow, make an impact, and are empowered to bring new ideas. Together, we thrive as we shape the future of health for patients, our communities, and our people. If you want to be part of tomorrow’s health today, we want to hear from you.

The QA Compliance Specialist - Controlled Substances oversees quality and compliance activities related to the storage, handling, and distribution of controlled substances within Distribution Centers. The role ensures compliance with federal and state-controlled substance regulations through cross‑functional collaboration, leadership, decision‑making, training, and issue resolution, often without onsite supervision. 

Key Responsibilities 

  • Manage site quality systems and processes related to the storage, handling, and distribution of controlled substances. 

  • Ensure policies and procedures are in place for inventory control, documentation, reporting, investigations, training, and audits related to controlled substances. 

  • Partner with Operations to manage day‑to‑day distribution center activities and ensure compliance with all applicable laws, regulations, and procedures. 

  • Lead or approve controlled substance nonconformance investigations, track KPIs, drive continuous improvement initiatives, and support additional distribution centers as needed.  

  • Lead inspection readiness initiatives, including mock audits and compliance training. 

  • Serve as the primary interface with regulatory agencies (e.g., DEA) for inspections and regulatory inquiries. 

Minimum Job Qualifications: 

  • Bachelor’s degree in a relevant field such as science, healthcare, quality/compliance, supply chain, or distribution operations required. Advanced degree preferred.
  • Minimum of 5 years of experience in Quality Assurance, compliance, regulatory affairs or regulated distribution operations.
  • Minimum of 3 years of leadership experience, including direct people leadership, project leadership, or cross-functional process ownership.
  • Experience supporting regulated warehousing or distribution operations, including inventory control, investigations, audits, training, and quality system documentation.
  • Experience with pharmaceutical distribution, controlled substance compliance, and inspections by regulatory agencies such as DEA, FDA, or State Boards of Pharmacy preferred

Specialized Knowledge/Skills

  • Thorough knowledge of federal controlled substances regulations (21 CFR Title 21, Chapter II, Parts 1300+)  

  • Knowledge of applicable state-controlled substance laws preferred  

  • Strong knowledge of 21 CFR 210, 211, and 820; ISO 13485  

  • Proven leadership, interpersonal, influence, and negotiation skills  

  • Strong analytical and problem‑solving abilities  

  • Excellent written and verbal communication skills across organizational levels 

  • Ability to use AI‑enabled tools and analytics to support controlled substance compliance monitoring, inventory anomaly detection, investigation trending, and KPI reporting, while ensuring all outputs are appropriately reviewed, validated, and compliant with regulatory, audit, and data integrity requirements. 

Working Conditions: 

  • Distribution Center environment  

  • Onsite role with locations in Kansas City, MO and Columbus, OH 

Travel Requirements: 

  • Willingness to travel as necessary 

(This description is general in nature and is not intended to be an exhaustive list of all responsibilities.  Other duties may be assigned as needed to meet company goals.) 

About MMS

McKesson Medical-Surgical (MMS), which is expected to become Wellverse in early 2027, is a subsidiary and publicly reported segment of the McKesson Corporation. MMS distributes medical-surgical supplies, pharmaceuticals, diagnostic equipment and supplies, along with other solutions and services to virtually every type of healthcare setting and provider outside of the traditional hospital. These markets – often referred to as Alternate Care or Non-Acute Care – include physician offices, surgery centers, long-term care providers, laboratories, home health and hospice agencies, health systems, government facilities and online marketplaces and retailers.

Alternate Care markets are growing rapidly, and MMS is proud to be a leader in this space. With a team of approximately 8,000 employees, a network of 15 distribution centers and approximately 900 delivery vehicles, we collaborate with more than 2,200 leading manufacturers and serve over 200,000 customer accounts across the U.S. Our catalog includes more than 270,000 SKUs of branded and private-label medical-surgical products – from bandages to specialty pharmaceuticals and COVID-19 tests.

We are proud to offer a competitive compensation package at McKesson as part of our Total Rewards. This is determined by several factors, including performance, experience and skills, equity, regular job market evaluations, and geographical markets. The pay range shown below is aligned with McKesson's pay philosophy, and pay will always be compliant with any applicable regulations. In addition to base pay, other compensation, such as an annual bonus or long-term incentive opportunities may be offered. For more information regarding benefits at McKesson, please click here.

Our Base Pay Range for this position

$83,300 - $138,800

McKesson has become aware of online recruiting-related scams in which individuals who are not affiliated with or authorized by McKesson are using McKesson’s (or affiliated entities, like CoverMyMeds or RxCrossroads) name in fraudulent emails, job postings or social media messages. In light of these scams, please bear the following in mind:
McKesson Talent Advisors will never solicit money or credit card information in connection with a McKesson job application.


McKesson Talent Advisors do not communicate with candidates via online chatrooms or using email accounts such as Gmail or Hotmail. Note that McKesson does rely on a virtual assistant (Gia) for certain recruiting-related communications with candidates.

McKesson job postings are posted on our career site: careers.mckesson.com.

McKesson is an Equal Opportunity Employer

McKesson provides equal employment opportunities to applicants and employees, without regard to race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, protected veteran status, disability, age, genetic information, or any other legally protected category. For additional information on McKesson’s full Equal Employment Opportunity policies, visit our Equal Employment Opportunity page.

McKesson is committed to being an Equal Employment Opportunity Employer and offers opportunities to all job seekers including job seekers with disabilities. If you need a reasonable accommodation to assist with your job search or application for employment, please contact us by sending an email to (United States) Disability_Accommodation@McKesson.com or (Canada) Accessibility@mckesson.ca. Resumes or CVs submitted to this email box will not be accepted.

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