How to hire a surgical technician

How to hire a surgical technician, step by step

Here's a step-by-step surgical 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 technician job description
• Step 5: Post your job
• Step 6: Interview candidates
• Step 7: Send a job offer and onboard your new surgical technician
• Step 8: Go through the hiring process checklist

What does a surgical technician do?

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1. Identify your hiring needs

   Before you post your surgical technician job, you should take the time to determine what type of worker your business needs. While certain jobs definitely require a full-time employee, it's sometimes better to find a surgical technician for hire on a part-time basis or as a contractor.

   Determine employee vs contractor status

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

   Yes

   No

   Hiring the perfect surgical technician also involves considering the ideal background you'd like them to have. Depending on what industry or field they have experience in, they'll bring different skills to the job. It's also important to consider what levels of seniority and education the job requires and what kind of salary such a candidate would likely demand.

   The following list breaks down different types of surgical technicians and their corresponding salaries.

   Type of Surgical Technician	Description	Hourly rate
   Surgical 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
   Operating Room Nurse	An Operating Room Nurse assists surgeons during operations and keeps the operating room sterile at all times. They ensure that patients are ready for transport to the recovery room.	$20-51
   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 Technologist
   • Surgical Procedures
   • Patient Care
   • CST
   • Sterile Technique
   • Sponges
   • Aseptic Technique
   • Surgical Services
   • CPR
   • Patient Safety
   • Sterile Processing
   • Surgical Instruments
   • General Surgery

   Check all skills

   Responsibilities:

   • Manage sterilization of field during surgical procedures, ensuring cleanliness and sanitation meet organization protocol.
   • Function in scrub role in Cardio-Thoracic cases in adult and pediatrics surgeries.
   • Experience in on-site and real life crisis situations with patients needing Heimlich maneuver and/or CPR.
   • Certify nurse of the operating room, register first assistant, BLS and ACLS certify.
   • Operate as part of the anesthesia team by assisting the anesthesiologist and the CRNA before and during routine surgical cases.
   • Distribute instruments, sponges, sutures and other supplies to surgeons using aseptic technique and assists in a variety of specialties.

   More surgical technician duties

3. Make a budget

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

   • Location. For example, surgical technicians' average salary in iowa is 39% less than in california.
   • Seniority. Entry-level surgical technicians 55% less than senior-level surgical technicians.
   • Certifications. A surgical 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 technician's salary.

   Average surgical technician salary

   $52,193yearly

   $25.09 hourly rate

   ---

   Entry-level surgical technician salary

   $35,000 yearly salary

   Updated December 5, 2025

   Average surgical technician salary by state

   Rank	State	Avg. salary	Hourly rate
   1	California	$68,555	$33
   2	New York	$64,889	$31
   3	Nevada	$64,786	$31
   4	Illinois	$59,278	$29
   5	District of Columbia	$58,954	$28
   6	Washington	$58,158	$28
   7	Oregon	$57,614	$28
   8	Arizona	$56,817	$27
   9	Massachusetts	$55,000	$26
   10	Maine	$54,806	$26
   11	Michigan	$54,762	$26
   12	Minnesota	$54,760	$26
   13	Maryland	$54,254	$26
   14	Georgia	$54,206	$26
   15	Texas	$53,918	$26
   16	Kansas	$53,132	$26
   17	Oklahoma	$52,980	$25
   18	Missouri	$52,785	$25
   19	Colorado	$52,583	$25
   20	Wisconsin	$52,517	$25

   Average surgical technician salary by company

   Company

   Rank	Company	Average salary	Hourly rate	Job openings
   1	St. Tammany Health System	$72,829	$35.01	3
   2	Baxter Regional Medical Center	$72,139	$34.68	5
   3	Gerald Champion Regional Medical Center	$70,754	$34.02
   4	Carteret Health Care	$70,494	$33.89	2
   5	Neuralink IT Solutions	$69,814	$33.56
   6	ProMedica Toledo Hospital	$69,745	$33.53	10
   7	Aspen Valley Hospital	$69,735	$33.53	18
   8	Montrose Memorial Hospital	$69,368	$33.35	4
   9	Beaufort Memorial Hospital	$69,222	$33.28	5
   10	Archbold Medical Center	$69,164	$33.25	6
   11	Self Regional Healthcare	$69,121	$33.23	18
   12	Scotland Memorial Hospital	$69,106	$33.22
   13	Maxim Healthcare Group	$69,094	$33.22
   14	Oculus	$68,414	$32.89
   15	Heartland Home Health Inc.	$68,370	$32.87	1
   16	Methodist Health System	$68,042	$32.71	51
   17	Onslow Memorial Hospital	$67,991	$32.69	9
   18	Student Conservation Association	$67,816	$32.60
   19	Favorite Healthcare Staffing	$67,756	$32.58
   20	Overlake Medical Center & Clinics	$67,615	$32.51	3

4. Writing a surgical technician job description

   A surgical 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. To help get you started, here's an example of a surgical technician job description:

   Surgical technician job description example

   This job assures availability of equipment and supplies for endoscopy / surgical procedures; exhibits skills to competently scrub for surgical procedures and assist for endoscopy procedures; and performs other duties as assigned by the RN. This job demonstrates action consistent with the company's “Expectations” as duties are performed on a daily basis.
   Education Required - High School diploma or equivalent and Graduate from an accepted course in Surgical Technology.
   Work Experience Required - None. Preferred -One year experience in a similar medical setting.
   Basic analytical skills.
   Certifications Required - Basic Life Support (BLS) through American Heart Association Preferred - Certification in Surgical Technology Knowledge Skills and Abilities (KSAs) Must have computer skills and dexterity required for data entry and retrieval of patient information. Must be proficient with Windows-style applications and keyboard. Effective verbal and written communication skills and the ability to present information clearly and professionally to varying levels of individuals throughout the patient care process. Possesses expertise in the theory and application of sterile and aseptic techniques. Knowledge of human anatomy, surgery procedures, and implementation instruments and technologies.
   Job Duties Performs direct patient care duties. Organizes activities and supplies based on surgery schedule and daily needs of the department. Competently care for and provides services to patients/customers in specific relations to their age and developmental stage with supervision of the staff nurse. Communicates information pertaining to patient care needs to patients, family members and co-workers Maintains required clinical knowledge, technical skills, training and credentials. Adapts to rapid changes in the department caused by unit census, patient acuity and resource availability.
   Other related duties as required. The above statements describe the general nature and level of work only. They are not an exhaustive list of all required responsibilities, duties, and skills. Other duties may be added, or this description amended at any time.
   This employer maintains and complies with its Compliance & Privacy Program and Standards of Conduct, including the immediate reporting of any known or suspected unethical or questionable behaviors or conduct; patient/employee safety, patient privacy, and/or other compliance-related concerns.
   
   The employer is an Equal Opportunity Employer. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, protected veteran status, or disability status.
   Physical and Environmental Demands The physical essential functions of this job include (but are not limited to) the following: Frequently exerting 10 to 20 pounds of force to move objects; occasionally exerting up to 100 pounds of force. Physical demand requirements are in excess of those for sedentary work. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions.
   Must be able to move and lift objects weighing up to 60 lbs. Mechanical lifting devices (e.g., carts, dollies, etc.) or team lifts should be utilized.
   Must be able to work a flexible work schedule (e.g. 24/7, weekend, holiday, on call availability).
   Must be able to stoop, bend, reach and grab with arms and hands, manual dexterity.
   
   Duties performed routinely require exposure to blood, body fluid and tissue.
   
   The incumbent works in a patient care area; works in an area where patients enter; works directly with patients; and/or works with specimens that could contain communicable diseases. There may be an occupational risk for exposure to communicable diseases. Because the incumbent works within a healthcare setting, there may be occupational risk for exposure to hazardous medications or hazardous waste within the environment through receipt, transport, storage, preparation, dispensing, administration, cleaning and/or disposal of contaminated waste. The risk level of exposure may increase depending on the essential job duties of the role.

   Copy this example

   

5. Post your job

   To find the right surgical technician for your business, consider trying out a few different recruiting strategies:

   • Consider internal talent. One of the most important sources of talent for any company is its existing workforce.
   • Ask for referrals. Reach out to friends, family members, and current employees and ask if they know or have worked with surgical technicians they would recommend.
   • Recruit at local colleges. Attend job fairs at local colleges to recruit surgical technicians who meet your education requirements.
   • Social media platforms. LinkedIn, Facebook and Twitter now have more than 3.5 billion users, and you can use social media to reach potential job candidates.

   Post your job online:

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

6. Interview candidates

   Your first interview with surgical technician candidates should focus on their interest in the role and background experience. As the hiring process goes on, you can learn more about how they'd fit into the company culture in later rounds of 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 technician

   Once you've found the surgical 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 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 surgical 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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