Lead Sterilization Tech

Sonoma-County-Indian-Health-Project-Inc.; Santa Rosa (CA); On-site; USD 80,000 - 105,000; Full time

Job summary

Sonoma County Indian Health Project, Inc. seeks a Lead Sterilization Technician to oversee daily instrument reprocessing, ensure compliance with infection prevention standards, and provide technical leadership to the sterilization team across medical and dental services.

You will coordinate workflow, monitor quality assurance, and support regulatory readiness while training staff and collaborating with clinical teams for timely availability of properly processed instruments.

Qualifications

• CRCST certification or ability to obtain within designated timeframe.
• Three years of sterile processing or related healthcare experience.
• One year of lead or senior technician experience.
• Advanced sterile processing certification (CIS/CER/CHL) is preferred.
• Experience with medical and dental instrument reprocessing.

Responsibilities

• Serve as department subject matter expert for sterilization, infection prevention, and regulatory compliance.
• Coordinate sterile processing services across medical and dental programs.
• Train, mentor, and evaluate staff in sterilization practices.
• Monitor compliance with CDC, OSHA, AAMI, IFU, and California Dental Board standards.
• Maintain sterilization records and ensure regulatory readiness.
• Assist management during inspections and audits.
• Troubleshoot equipment and instrument tracking issues.
• Coordinate preventive maintenance and repairs.
• Collaborate with Infection Prevention, Dental, Medical, and Quality departments to improve procedures.

Skills

Leadership

Quality assurance

Infection prevention

Regulatory compliance

Staff training

Problem solving

Education

CRCST certification

Advanced sterile processing certification (CIS/CER/CHL)

CPR — Basic Life Support

CDIPC — Dental Infection Prevention and Control

Equivalent education or training

Tools

Sterilization equipment

Instrument tracking systems

Job description

The Lead Sterilization Technician oversees daily instrument reprocessing and sterilization operations and serves as the organization's subject matter expert for the cleaning, inspection, assembly, sterilization, storage, and distribution of reusable medical and dental instruments. This position coordinates workflow, monitors quality assurance activities, and ensures compliance with infection prevention standards, manufacturer instructions, and applicable regulatory requirements. The Lead provides technical leadership, training, and support to sterilization staff while collaborating with clinical and dental teams to ensure the safe, timely availability of properly processed instruments. This role supports high-quality patient care and integrated Tribal Health services through a commitment to safety, compliance, and continuous improvement.Essential Duties and Responsibilities:Ability to serve as the department subject matter expert for sterilization, infection prevention, and regulatory compliance across both medical and dental services.Experience developing and implementing Tribal Health sterilization protocols and quality assurance processes.Ability to coordinate sterile processing services supporting integrated medical and dental programs.Ability to support sterilization services for integrated medical and dental departmentsUnderstanding of the importance of instrument processing in protecting patients, staff, and Tribal communities from healthcare-associated infections.Experience maintaining instrument inventories and turnover for both medical and dental departments.Perform all duties of a Sterile Processing Technician.Coordinate daily department workflow and staff assignments.Serve as lead resource for instrument reprocessing and sterilization practices.Train, mentor, and evaluate new and existing staff.Monitor compliance with sterilization standards and infection-control protocols.Conduct quality assurance audits and documentation reviews.Maintain sterilization records and ensure regulatory readiness.Troubleshoot sterilization equipment and instrument tracking issues.Coordinate preventive maintenance and repairs.Assist management during inspections, accreditation reviews, and audits.Monitor supply and instrument inventory levels.Recommend process improvements to enhance efficiency and patient safety.Monitor department compliance with CDC, OSHA, AAMI, manufacturer Instructions for Use (IFU), California Dental Board infection control requirements, and organizational policiesTrack compliance deadlines, required inspections, competency evaluations, and annual training requirements.Conduct routine audits of sterilization practices, documentation, and instrument processing workflows.Ensure compliance with OSHA, CDC, AAMI, Joint Commission, and California Dental Board standards, as applicable.Collaborate with Infection Prevention, Dental, Medical, and Quality departments to address compliance issues and improve procedures.Qualifications:CRCST certification or ability to obtain within a designated timeframe.Three (3) years of sterile processing or related healthcare experience.One (1) year of lead or senior technician experience.Advanced sterile processing certification (CIS, CER, or CHL).Experience with medical and dental instrument reprocessing.Experience with quality assurance and regulatory compliance.Equivalent education, training, certification, and experience may be considered.CPR – Basic Life Support Certificate (required)CDIPC – Certified in Dental Infection Prevention and Control (required)CRCST – Certified Registered Central Service Technician (required or must obtain within six (6) months of hire date.)Special Qualifications:All employees must be sensitive to the needs of the Native American community, demonstrate a deep understanding and respect for the diverse cultural heritage, traditional, and historical context of the Native American community.How to Apply:Submit your application to Sonoma County Indian Health Project, Inc.Attention: Human Resources DepartmentAddress: 144 Stony Point Road, Room 2209, Santa Rosa, CA 95401Email: [e-mail] Fax: [phone]Application Form: Available online at www.scihp.org/human-resourcesWhen applying under Indian Preference, please include valid documentation of eligibility with your application materials.