Full employer posting
The Lead Sterile Processing Technician oversees the department's daily operations to ensure safe, efficient, and compliant decontamination, assembly, sterilization, and distribution of surgical instruments and equipment. Provides technical expertise, leadership, and training to staff, ensuring adherence to hospital protocols, manufacturer IFUs, and regulatory standards. Supports quality initiatives, monitors workflow, manages inventory, and liaises with clinical departments to ensure patient safety and readiness.
Responsibilities Serves as the primary technical and workflow lead for the Sterile Processing team, ensuring timely and accurate decontamination, inspection, assembly, sterilization, and distribution of surgical instruments and equipment. Provides technical expertise, troubleshooting assistance, and mentoring to Sterile Processing Technicians; promotes a culture of safety, accuracy, and accountability. Promotes and maintains compliance with infection prevention, regulatory, and safety standards; promptly reports and addresses any safety or quality concerns.
Conducts quality checks, audits, and documentation reviews to ensure compliance with hospital policies, equipment manufacturer IFUs, and regulatory standards (AAMI, AORN, CDC, Joint Commission, DNV, OSHA). Monitors inventory of instruments, supplies, and equipment; assists in ordering, receiving, and storage to ensure operational readiness. Monitor sterilization cycles and conduct biological and chemical testing to verify the efficacy of sterilization processes.
Monitors daily workload and adjusts staff assignments to maintain workflow efficiency and meet surgical case demands. Assists with scheduling, timekeeping, and staffing coverage in coordination with department leadership. Participates in training, competency validation, and ongoing education for new and existing staff; may serve as a preceptor after completing required training.
Assists in the development, review, and implementation of departmental policies, procedures, and process improvements. Participates in interdisciplinary and quality improvement meetings to enhance patient safety, efficiency, and service excellence. Collaborates with Operating Room, Nursing, and other clinical departments to ensure the availability, completeness, and readiness of surgical instruments and equipment.
Supports implementation, use, and maintenance of instrument tracking and management systems to optimize accuracy and traceability. Performs other related duties as assigned. Qualifications Five (5) years of experience as a sterile processing technician in a healthcare setting.
Strong attention to detail, organizational, and problem-solving skills; maintains accuracy in a high-volume environment. Ability to organize workflow, delegate assignments, and provide training under time-sensitive conditions. Effective communication and collaboration with multidisciplinary teams, materials management, vendors, and clinical departments.
Expert knowledge of sterilization methods, including the inspection of surgical instruments and medical equipment. High competence with instrument tracking, documentation systems, and Microsoft Office applications. Ability to serve as a preceptor and a mentor by fostering teaching environment.
Position eligible for preceptor premium pay with completion of preceptor education and leader approval.
About the role
Serves as the primary technical and workflow lead for the Sterile Processing team, ensuring timely and accurate decontamination, inspection, assembly, sterilization, and distribution of surgical instruments and equipment.