Certified Surgical First Asst

Ascension; Austin (TX); On-site; USD 65,000 - 95,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Health coverage

Retirement plan

Paid time off

Tuition assistance

Counseling services

Parental leave

Pet insurance

Job summary

Ascension, Dell Seton Medical Center-UT in Austin, TX, is seeking a Certified First Surgical Assistant to provide direct surgical support in the Operating Room. The role involves assisting on high-acuity trauma and elective cases, preparing operating rooms, and maintaining sterile technique.

A high school diploma with experience or an associate/technical degree is acceptable, with BLS due within 30 days of hire.

Qualifications

• Undergo BLS Provider within 30 days of hire.
• Certified First Surgical Assistant required before hire date.
• Education: High School diploma/equivalency with 2 years experience OR Associate's degree/Technical degree OR 4 years of applicable cumulative job-specific experience.

Responsibilities

• Provide direct, expert surgical assistance across high-acuity trauma and elective specialties, anticipating surgeon needs.
• Position patients and maintain safe operative exposure with correct anatomical alignment.
• Enhance field visualization via tissue manipulation, retraction, suctioning and irrigation.
• Apply hemostasis with electrocautery, ligation, clips and topical agents.
• Perform multi-layer closures and manage drainage and wound dressings.

Skills

Surgical assistant

Team collaboration

Education

Education requirement

Job description

Your future role at a glance
Location: Austin, TX
Facility: Dell Seton Medical Center-UT
Department/Specialty: Operating Room
Schedule: Day Shift | Full-time | Monday-Friday 7:30am-4:00 call rotation holidays assigned on rotation

Life at Ascension: Where purpose meets opportunity
Ascension is a leading nonprofit Catholic health system with a culture and associate experience grounded in service, growth, care and connection. We empower our 97,000+ associates to bring their skills and expertise every day to reimagining healthcare, together. Recognized as one of the Best 150+ Places to Work in Healthcare and a Military-Friendly Gold Employer, you’ll find an inclusive and supportive environment where your contributions truly matter.

Benefits that help you thrive

• Comprehensive health coverage: medical, dental, vision, prescription coverage and HSA/FSA options
• Financial security & retirement: employer-matched 403(b), planning and hardship resources, disability and life insurance
• Time to recharge: pro-rated paid time off (PTO) and holidays
• Career growth: Ascension-paid tuition (Vocare), reimbursement, ongoing professional development and online learning
• Emotional well-being: Employee Assistance Program, counseling and peer support, spiritual care and stress management resources
• Family support: parental leave, adoption assistance and family benefits
• Other benefits: optional legal and pet insurance, transportation savings and more

How you’ll make an impact in this role

• Provide direct, expert surgical assistance across high-acuity Level 1 trauma and elective surgical specialties, anticipating surgeon needs to optimize operative efficiency and patient outcomes.
• Position patients utilize stabilizing equipment and padding to ensure optimal surgical exposure while strictly maintaining anatomical alignment, tissue integrity, and patient safety.
• Enhance surgical field visualization using precise tissue manipulation, manual and mechanical retraction, targeted suctioning, irrigation, and sponging.
• Execute appropriate temporary and permanent hemostatic techniques, including electrocautery, vessel ligation, clip application, and topical hemostatic agents.
• Perform multi-layer body plane closures, secure drainage systems, and apply appropriate sterile wound dressings in accordance with surgical standards.
• Prepare operating suites using surgeon preference cards to select, verify, and organize necessary instrumentation, specialized equipment, and sterile supplies.
• Maintain sterile integrity throughout procedures and assist with room turnaround, including the safe disposal of biohazardous waste and removal of soiled case carts and supplies.
• Participate in on-call rotation schedules to deliver rapid-response surgical support for emergency trauma cases and critical surgical care.
• Maintain dynamic communication with multidisciplinary surgical teams, anesthesia providers, and circulating nurses to ensure seamless perioperative workflow.

What Minimum Requirements You’ll Need

• BLS Provider obtained within 1 Month (30 days) of hire date or job transfer date required. American Heart Association or American Red Cross accepted.
• Certified First Surgical Assistant obtained prior to hire date or job transfer date required.

Education

• High School diploma equivalency with 2 years of cumulative experience OR Associate's degree/Technical degree OR 4 years of applicable cumulative job specific experience required.

Equal employment opportunity employer

Ascension provides Equal Employment Opportunities (EEO) to all associates and applicants for employment without regard to race, color, religion, sex/gender, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, pregnancy, childbirth, and related medical conditions, lactation, breastfeeding, national origin, citizenship, age, disability, genetic information, veteran status, marital status, all as defined by applicable law, and any other legally protected status or characteristic in accordance with applicable federal, state and local laws. For further information, view the EEO Know Your Rights (English) poster or EEO Know Your Rights (Spanish) poster.

Fraud prevention notice

Prospective applicants should be vigilant against fraudulent job offers and interview requests. Scammers may use sophisticated tactics to impersonate Ascension employees. To ensure your safety, please remember: Ascension will never ask for payment or to provide banking or financial information as part of the job application or hiring process. Our legitimate email communications will always come from an @ascension.org email address; do not trust other domains, and an official offer will only be extended to candidates who have completed a job application through our authorized applicant tracking system.

E-Verify statement

Employer does not participate in E-Verify and therefore cannot employ STEM OPT candidates.