CENTRAL STERILE TECHNICIAN JOB DESCRIPTION

Few titles in a hospital are as narrowly defined yet as consequential. A Central Sterile Technician is the person responsible for ensuring every surgical instrument is clean, sterile, and ready before it enters the operating room. Contaminated or missing instruments delay procedures and expose patients to infection risk - gaps this role exists to prevent. Working within the sterile processing department, this technician manages decontamination, tray assembly, biological indicator monitoring, and instrument inventory across hospital and clinic locations.

As the Central Sterile Technician, you own the end-to-end reprocessing of surgical instruments and supplies, applying established sterilization protocols that directly protect patient safety in acute care settings. The role operates within the sterile processing department, coordinating closely with OR teams, Bio-Med, and supply chain to maintain instrument availability and regulatory compliance across all assigned clinical areas.

Career Impact: Mastery of SPD practices and sterilization standards - including biological indicator interpretation and PARS-based inventory management - builds a foundation of clinical credibility that is recognized across hospital systems.

Business Impact: When surgical trays are complete, sterile, and delivered on time, OR schedules hold and infection control metrics stay within acceptable thresholds for the facility.

Growth Opportunity: Technicians who build competency across steam, plasma, and Ethylene Oxide sterilization methods, and who pursue accredited Central Sterile certification, become strong candidates for lead and supervisory SPD roles.

• Decontaminate and reprocess surgical instruments and equipment according to established sterilization procedures and infection control standards.
• Assemble surgical instrument trays, special procedure trays, and case carts to meet scheduled OR demands.
• Sterilize instruments and supplies using steam and plasma sterilization systems, following manufacturer instructions for each load.
• Perform biological and chemical indicator testing on every sterilization cycle to verify process integrity.
• Inspect instruments for damage or malfunction and coordinate repair or replacement with third-party vendors.
• Maintain and restock instrument inventory to established PARS levels, submitting requisitions for low or missing items.
• Deliver sterilized trays and supplies to OR and clinical departments and retrieve used instruments for reprocessing.
• Document sterilization records, patient charges, and equipment status accurately to support quality assurance and compliance audits.

• High School Diploma or GED, or equivalent work experience.
• Six months or more of sterile processing, operating room, or related clinical support experience, with demonstrated understanding of aseptic technique.
• Knowledge of surgical instrument identification, tray assembly standards, and decontamination procedures.
• Ability to operate steam and plasma sterilization equipment safely and interpret biological and chemical indicator results.
• Understanding of basic anatomy, physiology, and medical terminology relevant to surgical specialties.
• Ability to follow written and verbal instructions, prioritize workload under time pressure, and maintain accurate records.
• Availability to work on-call, weekends, holidays, and rotating shifts as required by department scheduling needs.

• Completion of an accredited Central Sterile Processing program or active pursuit of certification through a recognized credentialing body.
• Prior experience in a hospital SPD environment managing case cart preparation for high-volume surgical schedules.
• Familiarity with Ethylene Oxide sterilization systems and associated safety handling requirements.
• Working knowledge of inventory management systems and basic data entry in spreadsheet or supply chain platforms.

• Biological indicator pass rate per sterilization cycle, reflecting consistent compliance with sterilization validation protocols.
• Case cart completion rate by scheduled OR start time, measuring instrument availability at the point of need.
• Instrument damage or missing item rate per tray, tracking inspection thoroughness across assembled sets.
• Sterilization record accuracy rate, reflecting completeness of documentation required for quality assurance review.
• Turnaround time from decontamination intake to sterile storage, measured against department throughput benchmarks.
• Typical tools: Sterilization systems (commonly STERRAD hydrogen peroxide plasma and autoclave steam sterilizers), biological indicator incubators, tray tracking software.

• Base Salary Range: $38,000 to $52,000 per year, depending on experience and facility size.
• Bonus: Shift differentials common for evenings, weekends, and on-call coverage.
• Equity: Not typically offered at this level.
• Health Benefits: Medical, dental, and vision coverage standard across most hospital employers.
• PTO: 10 to 18 days per year, plus recognized holidays.
• Common Perks: Tuition reimbursement for SPD certification programs, uniform allowance, and employee assistance programs.

Figures are estimates based on general US market benchmarks and may be outdated. Adjust based on location, company size, and seniority level.

Candidates from all backgrounds are encouraged to apply. Employment decisions are made without regard to race, color, religion, sex, national origin, age, disability, veteran status, or any other characteristic protected under applicable federal, state, or local law. Reasonable accommodations are available to qualified individuals with disabilities throughout the hiring process and in the workplace upon request. Healthcare settings may require a background check and drug screening as a condition of employment. All applicants must be authorized to work in the United States.

The Central Sterile Technician delivers sterilization and decontamination of surgical instruments, equipment, and supplies across an acute care facility, ensuring every item meets established QA and biological testing standards. Working within the sterile processing department alongside Bio-Med and user departments, this technician directly supports safe surgical outcomes by maintaining instrument availability, PARS inventory levels, and coordinating third-party repair vendors.

Key Responsibilities

• Perform cleaning and sterilization processes for all instrumentation and equipment per policy.
• Wrap, seal, and label items to be sterilized per policy.
• Sterilize instruments, equipment, surgical linen, and related supplies using STERRAD and steam sterilizers according to manufacturer instructions.
• Prepare surgical packs, instruments, dressings, and treatment trays according to established procedures.
• Perform QA monitoring of sterilized packages to ensure proper procedures are maintained.
• Store sterilized and prepared instrumentation and equipment in designated areas or return to user departments.
• Manage instrument repairs and coordinate with third-party repair vendors.
• Inform Bio-Med of equipment no longer serviceable or other arising problems.
• Maintain and stock supplies and instruments per PARS levels.

Required Qualifications

• High School Diploma or GED equivalent.
• Completion of an accredited Central Sterile course preferred.
• At least six months of SPD, operating room, or related experience desirable.
• Basic knowledge of surgical specialties and SPD practices.
• Knowledge of surgical instruments, tray setups, and sterilizing techniques.
• Ability to operate plasma and steam sterilizers and related equipment safely and efficiently.
• Ability to read and write fluent English.

Embedded within a regional facilities team, the Central Sterile Technician oversees preventive maintenance, emergency repair, and inspections across multiple restaurant locations to keep equipment and property in continuous operation. Working closely with the Regional Facilities Manager and third-party landlords, this technician ensures timely reporting, accurate inventory records, and compliance with service warranties that protect the company's capital assets.

Core Functions

• Perform preventive maintenance, emergency repair, and cosmetic repair on restaurant equipment and property.
• Check and follow up on all preventive maintenance programs for HVAC, refrigeration, signage, lighting, and hot side cooking equipment.
• Conduct regular inspections of all assigned restaurants and report equipment and property condition and maintenance status.
• Maintain records of store-level equipment inventory, spare parts, and company-owned tool inventories.
• Assist supervisor with recommendations regarding capital budget expenditures for equipment, building, and property repair or replacement.
• Ensure accurate and timely reporting of invoices, maintenance logs, purchase orders, and other administrative paperwork.
• Resolve landlord issues and perform duties for restaurant openings, special events, and closures.
• Recommend approval of invoices for service work and negotiate adjustments as required.

Qualifications and Experience

• 3 to 5 years of industry-related experience.
• Detailed knowledge and experience in electrical systems up to 440V, high voltage up to 600V, welding, boilers, and compressors.
• Experience in at least one of the following: HVAC, data systems, high voltage, machining, or PLCs.
• Working knowledge of general construction skills, building codes, and mechanical, plumbing, and electrical systems.
• Excellent verbal and written communication skills.

Reporting to the processing team lead, the Central Sterile Technician shapes the daily workflow of a regulated allograft tissue facility by managing room setup and breakdown, sterilization runs using Ethylene Oxide and Steam systems, and compliant waste disposal. Partnering with processing personnel and quality teams, this technician enables uninterrupted case throughput and regulatory compliance that directly supports successful tissue transplantation outcomes.

Primary Duties

• Ensure case carts and center core supply areas are restocked as necessary to maintain scheduled workflow.
• Perform processing and packaging room setup responsibilities and ensure rooms are ready for use prior to processing personnel arrival.
• Perform processing and packaging room breakdown following completion of each case as instructed and scheduled.
• Perform facility cleaning as needed and as scheduled to ensure compliance with SOPs and the facility cleaning schedule.
• Decontaminate and clean used equipment and supplies requiring re-sterilization or reprocessing between uses.
• Contain and properly dispose of contaminated waste generated from the processing facility.
• Prepare instruments, supplies, and equipment for sterilization runs using both Ethylene Oxide and Steam systems.
• Ensure all systems are run according to manufacturer instructions, safety requirements, and SOPs.

Skills and Qualifications

• High School Diploma or GED.
• 1 or more years of related work experience in manufacturing, aseptic or sterile environments, tissue processing, or operating room settings preferred.
• Experience with precision measuring equipment such as calipers and micrometers, and operation of electrical and pneumatic cutting, drilling, and routing equipment.
• Basic knowledge of MS Excel and Outlook.
• Strong attention to detail and critical thinking and problem-solving abilities.
• Excellent organizational and verbal and written communication skills in English.

Sitting at the intersection of sterile processing and surgical supply chain, the Central Sterile Technician leads the assembly, sterilization, and timely distribution of surgical instrument trays and case carts across hospital departments and clinic locations. Operating across OR supply, patient charge documentation, and equipment verification workflows, this technician ensures that sterile processing customers receive properly functioning instruments and alternative supplies whenever primary items are unavailable.

Duties

• Prepare and sterilize surgical instruments and supplies according to established procedures and techniques.
• Assemble special procedure trays, surgical instrument trays, and case carts.
• Deliver sterilized supplies to and retrieve used supplies and trays from hospital departments and clinic locations.
• Inspect and ensure proper functioning of instruments and equipment and facilitate replenishment of low, broken, or missing items.
• Document patient charges for the use of supplies and procedure trays.
• Restock labels and maintain inventory, submit requisitions, and collect and distribute instrument trays and carts.
• Verify that equipment functions properly and coordinate repair or replacement of defective equipment.
• Sort sets of instrument trays and medical equipment and make them available to sterile processing customers promptly.

Experience and Qualifications

• Basic knowledge of anatomy, physiology, and medical terminology.
• Ability to follow written and verbal instructions and perform environmental maintenance duties.
• Demonstrated ability to acquire and utilize a comprehensive understanding of various sterilizers and sterilization methods.
• Ability to prioritize workload and requests for supplies and trays and determine appropriate alternative supplies when needed.
• Ability to be on-call, work weekends, holidays, and rotate shifts as needed.
• Demonstrated knowledge of life span growth and development principles and patient care appropriate to the age of patients served.
• Demonstrated human relations and effective communication skills.