Sterilization Technician

About the role

The Sterilization Technician supports the oral surgery team by ensuring all surgical instruments, equipment, and work areas are properly prepared, sterilized, and maintained to the highest safety and quality standards. This role plays a critical part in maintaining an efficient surgical environment by performing decontamination and sterilization processes, organizing and assembling surgical trays, and upholding OSHA guidelines for personal and workplace safety.

Responsibilities

• Perform decontamination, cleaning, inspection, packaging, and sterilization of surgical instruments and equipment in accordance with established protocols and safety standards.
• Operate and maintain sterilizers, ultrasonic cleaners, and other reprocessing equipment following manufacturer guidelines.
• Monitor sterilization cycles and maintain accurate logs and documentation for compliance and traceability.
• Inspect instruments for proper function and report damage, missing, or unsafe equipment to appropriate personnel.
• Assemble, organize, and prepare surgical trays and materials to ensure timely availability for procedures.
• Assist with the setup and breakdown of surgical rooms, ensuring all necessary instruments and supplies are prepared and readily available.
• Maintain a clean, safe, and organized work environment in compliance with OSHA, infection control, and practice standards.
• Adhere to all personal protective equipment (PPE) requirements and follow strict safety procedures to minimize contamination or exposure risks.
• Support the surgical and clinical team during procedures as needed, within the scope of the role.
• Communicate effectively with clinical staff to ensure proper instrument flow and anticipate surgical needs.
• Maintain inventory of surgical instruments, supplies, and sterilization materials.
• Notify leadership when stock levels are low or when replacements are needed.
• Participate in ongoing training and maintain current knowledge of sterilization techniques, equipment usage, and infection control standards.

Requirements

• High school diploma or equivalency, required.
• Previous experience in a dental, oral surgery, medical, or sterile processing environment preferred.
• Experience with sterilization processes, including cleaning, decontamination, packaging, and autoclave operation, strongly preferred.
• Familiarity with OSHA, infection control, and universal precaution protocols in a clinical setting.
• Experience working with surgical instruments, including identification, inspection, and proper assembly of instrument trays.
• Hands-on experience using sterilization and cleaning equipment, such as autoclaves, ultrasonic cleaners, and steam sterilizers.
• Experience working in a fast-paced clinical or surgical environment, demonstrating the ability to prioritize and multitask.
• Customer service or patient-facing experience in a healthcare setting is helpful but not required.

Skills

• Strong organizational skills and attention to detail
• Excellent verbal and written communication skills
• Professional appearance and attitude
• Ability to take directions from others and follow through in a concise manner
• Ability to multi-task
• Must work well in a close team environment
• Maintain knowledge of equipment, expected patient outcome, and anticipated complications

Schedule

Monday - Thursday 7:30am - 4:30pm
Friday 7:00am - 3:00pm

Benefits

• Medical, Dental, and Vision Insurance plans for full-time employees (two of the three medical plans include Health Savings Account (HSA) eligibility).
• Company-paid Life, AD&D, and Long-Term Disability coverage.
• Additional Voluntary Life and AD&D Insurance for you and your family.
• Voluntary Short-Term Disability Insurance available.
• Dependent Care Flexible Spending Account (FSA).
• 401(k) retirement savings plan with employer contribution and Profit Sharing after six months of employment.
• PTO and 8 paid holidays for full-time employees.