How to hire an orthopaedic technician

How to hire an orthopaedic technician, step by step

Here's a step-by-step orthopaedic technician hiring guide:

• Step 1: Identify your hiring needs
• Step 2: Create an ideal candidate profile
• Step 3: Make a budget
• Step 4: Write an orthopaedic technician job description
• Step 5: Post your job
• Step 6: Interview candidates
• Step 7: Send a job offer and onboard your new orthopaedic technician
• Step 8: Go through the hiring process checklist

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1. Identify your hiring needs

   Before you start hiring an orthopaedic technician, identify what type of worker you actually need. Certain positions might call for a full-time employee, while others can be done by a part-time worker or contractor.

   Determine employee vs contractor status

   Is the person you're thinking of hiring a US citizen or green card holder?

   Yes

   No

   An orthopaedic technician's background is also an important factor in determining whether they'll be a good fit for the position. For example, orthopaedic technicians from different industries or fields will have radically different experiences and will bring different viewpoints to the role. You also need to consider the candidate's previous level of experience to make sure they'll be comfortable with the job's level of seniority.

   This list presents orthopaedic technician salaries for various positions.

   Type of Orthopaedic Technician	Description	Hourly rate
   Orthopaedic Technician	Dental and ophthalmic laboratory technicians and medical appliance technicians construct, fit, or repair appliances and devices, including dentures, eyeglasses, and prosthetics.	$13-24
   Technician	Technicians are skilled professionals who primarily work with technology in different industries. They are knowledgeable about the technical aspects of the various items they work with... Show more	$11-27
   Clinical Technician	A clinical technician is responsible for operating and maintaining clinical equipment, ensuring the proper sterilization of all laboratory tools and kits to avoid contamination during medical procedures. Clinical technicians assist the patients with their medical inquiries and needs, collecting samples for laboratory, and helping medical professionals on surgeries and other medical operations... Show more	$12-23

   Show more

2. Create an ideal candidate profile

   Common skills:

   • Patients
   • Traction
   • Splints
   • Vital Signs
   • Ortho
   • Injections
   • Patient Education
   • Blood Pressure
   • Crutches
   • EMR
   • Medical Terminology
   • Patient Flow
   • Exam Rooms
   • Durable Medical Equipment

   Check all skills

   Responsibilities:

   • Apply and remove casts, splints and durable medical equipment.
   • Refill prescriptions and complete disability and workers compensation paperwork for patients.
   • Conduct outpatient clinic and participate in initial evaluation and longitudinal care of patients.
   • Sterilize operating instruments, load surgery case cart with accessories and instruments for appropriate surgery, utilize computer inventory system.
   • Access Medicaid eligibility verification system and documents, as appropriate.

3. Make a budget

   Including a salary range in your orthopaedic technician job description is a great way to entice the best and brightest candidates. An orthopaedic technician salary can vary based on several factors:

   • Location. For example, orthopaedic technicians' average salary in florida is 51% less than in alaska.
   • Seniority. Entry-level orthopaedic technicians earn 44% less than senior-level orthopaedic technicians.
   • Certifications. An orthopaedic technician with a few certifications under their belt will likely demand a higher salary.
   • Company. Working for a prestigious company or an exciting start-up can make a huge difference in an orthopaedic technician's salary.

   Average orthopaedic technician salary

   $37,963yearly

   $18.25 hourly rate

   ---

   Entry-level orthopaedic technician salary

   $28,000 yearly salary

   Updated December 19, 2025

4. Writing an orthopaedic technician job description

   A job description for an orthopaedic technician role includes a summary of the job's main responsibilities, required skills, and preferred background experience. Including a salary range can also go a long way in attracting more candidates to apply, and showing the first name of the hiring manager can also make applicants more comfortable. As an example, here's an orthopaedic technician job description:

   Orthopaedic technician job description example

   Responsibilities
   
   The Orthopaedic Technician is responsible for providing assistance to patients and physicians in the full scope of Orthopaedic services. The duties involve specialized patient care tasks, including casting, dressing changes, measurement and fitting of Orthopaedic braces and other devices and ambulatory aids and patient education. Additionally, the technician will be required to complete routine patient care tasks so physicians and other clinic staff can attend to other clinical and administrative functions.Qualifications
   
   Will accept current Medical Assistant with at least 6 months of full time casting experience or current graduate of an approved Orthopaedic Technician program.
   
   High School graduate or equivalent.
   
   At least 6 months of full-time work experience in a hospital, clinic or office setting working directly in the treatment of the Orthopaedic patient(s) preferred.
   
   Working knowledge of anatomy, physiology and medical terminology.
   
   Ability to triage medical problems within scope of job responsibilities.
   
   Ability to take direction from physicians and medical providers and work collaboratively with other staff members.
   
   Ability to follow through on assignments while helping to facilitate the organization, prioritization, and completion of all clinic tasks through collaboration with other clinic staff.
   
   Skill at working independently and prioritizing assignments to complete work in a timely manner.
   
   Interpersonal skills to deal with patients, staff and volunteers of diverse educational, economical and cultural backgrounds.
   
   Excellent written, verbal and interpersonal skills.
   
   Ability to work in busy setting with conflicting demands.
   
   Professional and enthusiastic attitude and demeanor with a belief in patient-centered care.
   
   Adherence to and implementation of established hospital policies and procedures of the work place.
   
   Previous cast/splinting experience is preferred.
   
   UCLA is an Equal Opportunity/Affirmative Action employer. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, disability, or protected Veteran status.
   
   UCLA Health welcomes all individuals, without regard to race, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, religion, national origin or disabilities, and we proudly look to each person's unique achievements and experiences to further set us apart.

   Copy this example

   

5. Post your job

   There are a few common ways to find orthopaedic technicians for your business:

   • Promoting internally or recruiting from your existing workforce.
   • Ask for referrals from friends, family members, and current employees.
   • Attend job fairs at local colleges to meet candidates with the right educational background.
   • Use social media platforms like LinkedIn, Facebook, and Twitter to recruit passive job-seekers.

   Post your job online:

   • Post your orthopaedic technician job on Zippia to find and recruit orthopaedic technician candidates who meet your exact specifications.
   • Use field-specific websites.
   • Post a job on free websites.

6. Interview candidates

   To successfully recruit orthopaedic technicians, your first interview needs to engage with candidates to learn about their interest in the role and experience in the field. You can go into more detail about the company, the role, and the responsibilities during follow-up interviews.

   It's also good to ask about candidates' unique skills and talents to see if they match your ideal candidate profile. If you think a candidate is good enough for the next step, you can move on to the technical interview.

   The right interview questions can help you assess a candidate's hard skills, behavioral intelligence, and soft skills.

7. Send a job offer and onboard your new orthopaedic technician

   Once you have selected a candidate for the orthopaedic technician position, it is time to create an offer letter. In addition to salary, the offer letter should include details about benefits and perks that are available to the employee. Ensuring your offer is competitive is vital, as qualified candidates may be considering other job opportunities. The candidate may wish to negotiate the terms of the offer, and it is important to be open to discussion and reach a mutually beneficial agreement. After the offer has been accepted, it is a good idea to formalize the agreement with a contract.

   It's also important to follow up with applicants who do not get the job with an email letting them know that the position is filled.

   After that, you can create an onboarding schedule for a new orthopaedic technician. Human Resources and the hiring manager should complete Employee Action Forms. Human Resources should also ensure that onboarding paperwork is completed, including I-9s, benefits enrollment, federal and state tax forms, etc., and that new employee files are created.

8. Go through the hiring process checklist

   • Determine employee type (full-time, part-time, contractor, etc.)
   • Submit a job requisition form to the HR department
   • Define job responsibilities and requirements
   • Establish budget and timeline
   • Determine hiring decision makers for the role
   • Write job description
   • Post job on job boards, company website, etc.
   • Promote the job internally
   • Process applications through applicant tracking system
   • Review resumes and cover letters
   • Shortlist candidates for screening
   • Hold phone/virtual interview screening with first round of candidates
   • Conduct in-person interviews with top candidates from first round
   • Score candidates based on weighted criteria (e.g., experience, education, background, cultural fit, skill set, etc.)
   • Conduct background checks on top candidates
   • Check references of top candidates
   • Consult with HR and hiring decision makers on job offer specifics
   • Extend offer to top candidate(s)
   • Receive formal job offer acceptance and signed employment contract
   • Inform other candidates that the position has been filled
   • Set and communicate onboarding schedule to new hire(s)
   • Complete new hire paperwork (i9, benefits enrollment, tax forms, etc.)

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