Quality & Education Specialist - Central Sterilizing Services

The University of Iowa; Iowa City (IA); Hybrid; USD 65,000 - 90,000; Full time

Job summary

The University of Iowa is seeking a Quality & Education Specialist for Central Sterilizing Services. This hybrid role drives quality improvement, regulatory readiness, and staff education across CSS with Lean/Six Sigma leadership, data analytics, and competency programs.

Based at Medical Center Downtown and North Liberty, the position emphasizes standardized processes, audits, and cross-functional collaboration to ensure safe, compliant sterile processing operations and high-level disinfection

Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree or equivalent combination of education and experience.
• Minimum of 3 years of experience in sterile processing.
• Experience in staff training, education, or competency validation.
• Strong knowledge of sterile processing practices and medical device reprocessing.
• Excellent analytical, organizational, and problem-solving skills.
• Proficiency in data analysis, reporting tools, and Microsoft Office applications.
• Excellent written and verbal communication skills.
• Certification through HSPA or CBSPD is required for hire and maintained.
• Endoscope Reprocessing Certification through HSPA or CBSPD within 2 years of hire and maintained.
• Lean and/or Six Sigma certification.
• Experience with KPI development, audit programs, and regulatory compliance.
• Experience leading collaborative teams and quality improvement initiatives.

Responsibilities

• Lead and facilitate quality improvement initiatives using Lean/Six Sigma methodologies.
• Develop, implement, and sustain standardized processes within the CSS quality management system.
• Conduct root cause analysis, gap assessments, and risk evaluations driving corrective and preventive actions.
• Design, execute and manage process audits, ensuring follow-through on corrective action plans.
• Monitor, analyze, and report KPIs, quality metrics, and operational data.
• Support performance optimization, waste reduction, and defect elimination initiatives.
• Collect, analyze, and interpret data from systems and field auditing.
• Develop dashboards, scorecards, and reports for stakeholders.
• Translate data insights into actionable process improvements.
• Present findings and recommendations to leadership and operational teams.
• Design, implement, and evaluate education programs for CSS staff across locations aligned with CSS system standards.
• Conduct and oversee competency assessments, training needs analysis, and skills validation.
• Develop and maintain orientation, training, and competency documentation for compliance and audit readiness.
• Provide real-time coaching and education related to sterile processing practices, quality improvement tools, and compliance requirements.
• Coordinate in-services and training sessions with internal and external partners.
• Ensure compliance with regulatory and accreditation standards (e.g., AAMI, AORN, SGNA, CDC, OSHA, TJC).
• Support internal and external audits, inspections, and regulatory reviews.
• Maintain readiness for inspections through environmental audit cycles and process standardization.
• Interpret and apply manufacturer instructions for use (IFU) and regulatory guidance.
• Partner with operations, education, quality, clinical teams to align processes and training.
• Collaborate in the development and revision of SOPs, policies, procedures, and competencies.
• Support onboarding and orientation of new hires, including temps, students and agency staff.
• Communicate effectively across all CSS sites to standardize practices and promote change adoption.
• Lead and support multidisciplinary projects related to process improvement and education.
• Develop and execute change management plans for new processes, technologies, and workflows.
• Ensure effective implementation and sustainment of improvements across multiple sites.
• Serve as subject matter expert in sterile processing, high-level disinfection, and endoscope reprocessing. Collaborate with clinical, infection prevention, and accreditation partners.
• Provide guidance on complex instrumentation and IFU interpretation.
• Evaluate new products and processes for compatibility with existing systems and capabilities.

Skills

Analytical skills

Communication

Problem solving

Education

Bachelor's degree or equivalent

3 years sterile processing experience

HSPA/CBSPD certification

Endoscope reprocessing certification (within 2 yrs)

Lean/Six Sigma certification

Tools

MS Office

Data dashboards

Job description

Quality & Education Specialist - Central Sterilizing Services

The CSS Quality/Education Specialist is a hybrid role responsible for integrating quality improvement, regulatory compliance, and staff education across Central Sterilizing Services (CSS). This position functions as a part of a system of CSS educators and quality specialists with primary work location of Medical Center Downtown and Medical Center North Liberty. Requires schedule and location flexibility. This position leads the development, implementation, and sustainment of standardized processes, quality management systems, and educational programs to ensure safe, efficient, and compliant sterile processing operations. Functions as a key liaison across quality, operations and education domains.

This role leverages Lean/Six Sigma principles, data analytics, and adult learning methodologies to improve patient and staff safety, reduce variation and waste, and enhance staff competency. The specialist collaborates across multidisciplinary teams to align practices, support regulatory readiness, and ensure high-quality outcomes in sterile processing and high-level disinfection.

Quality Improvement & Process Excellence

Lead and facilitate quality improvement initiatives using Lean/Six Sigma methodologies.

Develop, implement, and sustain standardized processes within the CSS quality management system.

Conduct root cause analysis, gap assessments, and risk evaluations driving corrective and preventive actions.

Design, execute and manage process audits, ensuring follow-through on corrective action plans.

Monitor, analyze, and report key performance indicators (KPIs), quality metrics, and operational data.

Support performance optimization, waste reduction, and defect elimination initiatives.

Data Analysis & Reporting

Collect, analyze, and interpret data from systems and field auditing.

Develop dashboards, scorecards, and reports for stakeholders.

Translate data insights into actionable process improvements.

Present findings and recommendations to leadership and operational teams.

Education & Training

Design, implement, and evaluate education programs for CSS staff across locations aligned with CSS system standards.

Conduct and oversee competency assessments, training needs analysis, and skills validation.

Develop and maintain orientation, training, and competency documentation for compliance and audit readiness.

Provide real-time coaching and education related to sterile processing practices, quality improvement tools, and compliance requirements.

Coordinate in-services and training sessions with internal and external partners.

Regulatory Compliance & Quality Assurance

Ensure compliance with regulatory and accreditation standards (e.g., AAMI, AORN, SGNA, CDC, OSHA, TJC).

Support internal and external audits, inspections, and regulatory reviews.

Maintain readiness for inspections through environmental audit cycles and process standardization.

Interpret and apply manufacturer instructions for use (IFU) and regulatory guidance.

Partner with operations, education, quality, clinical teams to align processes and training.

Collaborate in the development and revision of SOPs, policies, procedures, and competencies.

Support onboarding and orientation of new hires, including temps, students and agency staff.

Communicate effectively across all CSS sites to standardize practices and promote change adoption.

Lead and support multidisciplinary projects related to process improvement and education.

Develop and execute change management plans for new processes, technologies, and workflows.

Ensure effective implementation and sustainment of improvements across multiple sites.

Clinical/Technical Expertise

Serve as subject matter expert in sterile processing, high-level disinfection, and endoscope reprocessing. Collaborate with clinical, infection prevention, and accreditation partners.

Provide guidance on complex instrumentation and IFU interpretation.

Evaluate new products and processes for compatibility with existing systems and capabilities.

Operational & Strategic Support

Provide recommendations on inventory management, instrumentation flow, and cost reduction strategies.

Support departmental strategic, operational, and quality planning initiatives.

Participate in recruitment, onboarding, and workforce development activities as requested.

Bachelor’s degree or equivalent combination of education and experience.

Minimum of 3 years of experience in sterile processing.

Experience in staff training, education, or competency validation.

Strong knowledge of sterile processing practices and medical device reprocessing.

Excellent analytical, organizational, and problem-solving skills.

Proficiency in data analysis, reporting tools, and Microsoft Office applications.

Excellent written and verbal communication skills.

Certification through HSPA or CBSPD is required for hire and maintained.

Endoscope Reprocessing Certification through HSPA or CBSPD within 2 years of hire and maintained.

Desired Qualifications:

Lean and/or Six Sigma certification.

Experience with KPI development, audit programs, and regulatory compliance.

Experience leading collaborative teams and quality improvement initiatives.

Job openings are posted for a minimum of 7 calendar days. This job may be removed from posting and filled any time after the minimum posting period has ended. Successful candidates will be required to self-disclose any conviction history and will be subject to a criminal background check.This position is not eligible for University sponsorship for employment authorization.

Please contact [e-mail] with any questions.

Additional Information

• Appointment Type: Professional and Scientific
• Schedule: Full-time
• Work Modality Options: On Campus

Compensation

Contact Information

• Contact Name: Ingrid Gustafson
• Contact Email: [e-mail]

Equal opportunity employer

The University of Iowa is an equal opportunity employer. All qualified applicants are encouraged to apply and will receive consideration for employment free from discrimination on the basis of race, creed, color, religion, national origin, age, sex, pregnancy (including childbirth and related conditions), disability, genetic information, status as a U.S. veteran, service in the U.S. military, sexual orientation, or associational preferences.

Persons with disabilities who need assistance or accommodations with the application or interview process may contact University Human Resources/Faculty and Staff Disability Services, [phone] or [e-mail] . For jobs in UI Health care, please contact UI Health care Leave & Disability Administration at 319-356-7543 .

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