How to hire a surgical scrub technician

How to hire a surgical scrub technician, step by step

Here's a step-by-step surgical scrub technician hiring guide:

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

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1. Identify your hiring needs

   The surgical scrub technician hiring process starts by determining what type of worker you actually need. Certain roles might require a full-time employee, whereas part-time workers or contractors can do others.

   Determine employee vs contractor status

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

   Yes

   No

   A surgical scrub technician's background is also an important factor in determining whether they'll be a good fit for the position. For example, surgical scrub 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 surgical scrub technician salaries for various positions.

   Type of Surgical Scrub Technician	Description	Hourly rate
   Surgical Scrub Technician	Surgical technologists, also called operating room technicians, assist in surgical operations. They prepare operating rooms, arrange equipment, and help doctors during surgeries.	$16-37
   Monitor Technician	A monitor technician works in hospitals and other health care centers that provide treatment relating to heart health. They are also known as cardiac monitor technicians, who assist physicians and nurses with diagnosing and interpreting conditions related to the heart through several methods of monitoring and testing... Show more	$13-20
   Operating Room Technician	An operating room technician is responsible for assisting in the operating room procedures, ensuring the cleanliness and orderliness of the room, inspecting the condition of machines before the operation, and preparing medical tools and equipment accordingly. Operating room technicians guide the patients throughout the surgical procedures, instructing them as necessary regarding the processes... Show more	$16-38

   Show more

2. Create an ideal candidate profile

   Common skills:

   • Patients
   • Surgical Procedures
   • CPR
   • HIPAA
   • Surgical Equipment
   • Surgical Scrub
   • Surgical Tech
   • Sterile Technique
   • Direct Supervision
   • Surgical Instruments
   • Ortho
   • General Surgery
   • Room Environment
   • Urology

   Check all skills

   Responsibilities:

   • Manage sterilization of field during surgical procedures, ensuring cleanliness and sanitation meet organization protocol.
   • Clamp, ligation and cutting of tissue per surgeon's directive.
   • Pass instruments, sponges, sutures, and needles to surgeons and their assistants.
   • Communicate patient status to other units including PACU, ICU, and blood bank.
   • Remain flexible to float into the PACU, same day surgery, prep room, and GI as needed.
   • Act as liaison between technical staff, anesthesia residents, MD's, CRNA's, and hospital management.

3. Make a budget

   Including a salary range in your surgical scrub technician job description is one of the best ways to attract top talent. A surgical scrub technician can vary based on:

   • Location. For example, surgical scrub technicians' average salary in iowa is 38% less than in oregon.
   • Seniority. Entry-level surgical scrub technicians 55% less than senior-level surgical scrub technicians.
   • Certifications. A surgical scrub technician with certifications usually earns a higher salary.
   • Company. Working for an established firm or a new start-up company can make a big difference in a surgical scrub technician's salary.

   Average surgical scrub technician salary

   $52,701yearly

   $25.34 hourly rate

   ---

   Entry-level surgical scrub technician salary

   $35,000 yearly salary

   Updated January 22, 2026

4. Writing a surgical scrub technician job description

   A surgical scrub technician job description should include a summary of the role, required skills, and a list of responsibilities. It's also good to include a salary range and the first name of the hiring manager. Below, you can find an example of a surgical scrub technician job description:

   Surgical scrub technician job description example

   Surgical Scrub Tech, Labor and Delivery, Part Time, Days, Albuquerque, NM.
   We are looking for a Surgical Scrub Tech to join our Labor and Delivery team in Albuquerque, NM.
   
   This job is located at Lovelace Women’s Hospital, the first and only hospital in New Mexico dedicated to women’s health, offers a 53-bed advanced neonatal intensive care unit, a natural birthing center, an award-winning breast care center and the first robotic surgery program in the state recognized as a Center of Excellence in Robotic Surgery by Surgical Review Corporation.
   Responsibilities
   
   Surgical Scrub Tech Job Responsibilities:
   The Surgical Scrub Tech assists surgeons with surgical procedures within the operating room under the direct supervision of a registered nurse to include conveying sterile instruments and supplies used in basic to complex surgical procedures.
   Adheres to policies and procedures and regulations to ensure compliance and patient safety.
   Qualifications
   
   Surgical Scrub Tech Education and Experience Job Requirements: Required: Graduate of accredited Surgical Technology program or hospital-based program. Desired: Certified OR Tech Six (6) months experience in an acute care hospital-based operating room or ambulatory surgery unit. Desired: 1 year OR experience Desired: CORT; or CST BLS Certification Knowledge in medical terminology
   Knowledge in sterilization techniques
   Clinical Competencies Knowledge in Operating Room instruments and supplies Excellent Critical thinking skills. Why Lovelace?
   International Board Certified lactation Consultant® (IBCLC) Care Award, 2020 "A" grade from Leapfrog Hospital Safety Grade, 2019-2021 Healthgrades 2020 Specialty Excellence Awards: Pulmonology Care Excellence, 2020 New Mexico Hospital Association/American Hospital Association Quest For Excellence award, General acute Hospital, 2019, 2021 Women's Choice award for America's Best Breast Centers, 2015-2022 Women's Choice Award for America's Best Hospitals for Patient Safety, 2016-2019 Women's Choice Award for America's Best Hospitals for Obstetrics, 2021-2022 Women's Choice award for America's Best Mammogram Imaging Center, 2021-2022 Lovelace is a drug-free employer with smoke free campuses.

   Copy this example

   

5. Post your job

   There are various strategies that you can use to find the right surgical scrub technician for your business:

   • Consider promoting from within or recruiting from your existing workforce.
   • Ask for referrals from friends, family members, and current employees.
   • Attend job fairs at local colleges to find candidates who meet your education requirements.
   • Use social media platforms like LinkedIn, Facebook, and Twitter to reach potential job candidates.

   Post your job online:

   • Post your surgical scrub technician job on Zippia to find and attract quality surgical scrub technician candidates.
   • Use niche websites such as healthcarejobsite, health jobs nationwide, hospitalcareers, medreps.com.
   • Post a job on free websites.

6. Interview candidates

   To successfully recruit surgical scrub 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.

   You should also ask about candidates' unique skills and talents to see if they match the ideal candidate profile you developed earlier. Candidates good enough for the next step can complete 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 surgical scrub technician

   Once you've found the surgical scrub technician candidate you'd like to hire, it's time to write an offer letter. This should include an explicit job offer that includes the salary and the details of any other perks. Qualified candidates might be looking at multiple positions, so your offer must be competitive if you like the candidate. Also, be prepared for a negotiation stage, as candidates may way want to tweak the details of your initial offer. Once you've settled on these details, you can draft a contract to formalize your agreement.

   It's equally important to follow up with applicants who don't get the job with an email letting them know that the position has been filled.

   To prepare for the new employee's start date, you can create an onboarding schedule and complete any necessary paperwork, such as employee action forms and onboarding documents like I-9 forms, benefits enrollment, and federal and state tax forms. Human Resources should also ensure that a new employee file is 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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