Sterile Processing Assistant

Sterile Processing Assistant

The primary purpose of this position is to support the NC State Veterinary Hospitals by providing sterile processing services for surgical instrumentation and equipment to ensure safe, efficient, and uninterrupted patient care. This position is responsible for the decontamination, inspection, assembly, sterilization, inventory management, and distribution of surgical instruments and supplies while maintaining compliance with hospital policies and regulatory guidelines. The role also serves as a key support resource for clinical teams by delivering exceptional customer service and helping ensure the operational readiness of surgical services throughout the Veterinary Hospital.

Sterile Processing & Instrument Reprocessing: Provide sterile processing support for the hospitals through the decontamination, inspection, assembly, sterilization, and distribution of surgical instrumentation and equipment in accordance with hospital and regulatory guidelines.

Customer Service & Clinical Support: Deliver exceptional customer service to clinical teams by responding to questions regarding surgical packs, instrumentation availability, equipment operation, and procedural supply needs.

Operating Room Coordination: Collaborate closely with Operating Room staff to support surgical scheduling, room turnover, and rapid instrument turnaround to ensure equipment and instrumentation needs are consistently met for procedures.

Inventory & Systems Management: Maintain and manage surgical instrumentation, implant inventory, and component lists within ISIPSurgical to ensure accuracy, availability, and operational efficiency.

Department Operations & Purchasing: Support departmental operations through coordination of equipment and instrumentation rentals, billing activities, and purchasing of implants and sterile processing supplies to maintain uninterrupted workflow and high-quality service.

Professional Standards & Operations Safety & Compliance: Maintain a clean, safe, and functional workspace in accordance with OSHA, EHS, radiation safety, hospital infectious disease policies, and sterile processing standards.

Team Collaboration & Communication: Participate actively in problem-solving and team advancement while working independently with sound judgment and seeking assistance when appropriate.

Operational Agility & Physical Demands: Demonstrate the ability to lift up to 50 pounds with or without reasonable accommodations, work safely around potential hazards including zoonotic diseases, chemicals, and gases, and extend work hours as needed to support patient care and hospital operations.

Other duties as assigned.

Minimum Experience/Education: Completion of an accredited training program in the area of assignment; or equivalent combination of training and experience. Some positions may require additional Training, Certifications, or Licensure.

Preferred Qualifications: Advanced Clinical Experience: Previous experience as an operating room or sterile processing assistant in a veterinary or human healthcare clinical setting; preferably at a teaching hospital. Instructional Background: Proven experience in teaching, coaching, or mentoring veterinary students and junior staff members within a clinical environment. Specialized Technical Proficiency: Competency in sterile processing operations, including advanced handling of complex surgical instrumentation, sterilization technologies, infection control practices, and support of high-volume or specialty surgical services. Critical Thinking & Operational Judgment: Strong ability to apply critical thinking to sterile processing workflows, including prioritizing instrument turnaround, resolving equipment or sterilization issues, and exercising sound judgment in fast-paced, high-demand surgical environments. Communication & Professional Resilience: Demonstrated ability to provide high-quality customer service to clinical teams, communicate clearly regarding instrumentation and supply needs, and maintain professionalism and composure in high-volume or high-pressure hospital settings.

Required License or Certification: N/A