Sterile Processing Technician

Rippling, Inc.; Elmhurst (IL); On-site; USD 37,000 - 51,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Medical insurance

Dental insurance

Vision insurance

Life insurance

401(k) with company match

Paid time off

Job summary

Instrumentum is hiring Sterile Processing Technicians for our Elmhurst, IL off-site reprocessing center. You will handle the full cycle from receipt to ship, including decontamination, sterilization, and packaging of surgical instruments.

This is a fast-paced production environment with defined processes and schedules. Ideal candidates have 1+ year in sterile processing, reading IFUs, and willingness to complete certifications.

Qualifications

• 1+ year of hands-on sterile processing experience
• High school diploma or GED
• Working knowledge of decontamination, tray assembly, and steam sterilization
• Comfort reading and following IFUs, SOPs, and count sheets
• Willingness to complete required vaccinations and health screenings

Responsibilities

• Receive, decontaminate, inspect, assemble, sterilize, package, store, build case carts, and ship — the full cycle
• Decontaminate surgical instrumentation using manual cleaning, ultrasonic, washer‑disinfectors, and cart washers
• Disassemble, clean, and reassemble complex surgical instruments
• Inspect instruments for cleanliness, function, and damage, then assemble trays and sets to count sheets
• Package sets using wrap, rigid containers, and peel pouches with the correct indicators and labeling
• Run steam and low‑temperature sterilization cycles and document load records and biological monitoring results
• Process orthopedic sets, loaner trays, and consignment instrumentation
• Track every set in Censitrac from receipt through return to the client facility
• Follow protocol for non‑conforming instruments and escalate as needed
• Work to ANSI/AAMI standards, manufacturer IFUs, and our Quality Management System

Skills

Sterile processing

Attention to detail

Reading IFUs

Teamwork

Physical stamina

Education

High school diploma or GED

Tools

Censitrac

Job description

We are a national sterile processing partner. We run off-site reprocessing operations for hospitals and ambulatory surgery centers, with a focus on orthopedic instrumentation. Sterilization is all we do, which means sterile processing is not an afterthought here. It is the business.

Instrumentum is an equal opportunity employer. All qualified applicants receive consideration without regard to race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, age, disability, veteran status, or any other characteristic protected by law.

Instrumentum is hiring Sterile Processing Technicians for our off-site reprocessing center in Elmhurst, IL. $27.00–$37.00 per hour, based on experience and certification. 2nd, and 3rd shift openings. Full-time, with benefits.

Sterile processing, without the OR turnover clock

If you have worked in a hospital SPD, you know the pattern. A case ends, the cart lands in decontam, and someone needs that tray back before the next one starts.

Our Elmhurst facility does one thing: reprocess surgical instruments for the hospitals and surgery centers we partner with. Instruments arrive on a transport schedule rather than case by case, so the work runs to a plan. It is still fast‑paced — this is a production floor and the volume is real. What changes is the predictability: a defined process, a known schedule, and nobody standing in decontam waiting on a tray for a room that is already open.

What you will do

• Receive, decontaminate, inspect, assemble, sterilize, package, store, build case carts, and ship — the full cycle, not a single station
• Decontaminate surgical instrumentation using manual cleaning, ultrasonic, washer‑disinfectors, and cart washers, following each device’s manufacturer IFU
• Disassemble, clean, and reassemble complex surgical instruments
• Inspect instruments for cleanliness, function, and damage, then assemble trays and sets to count sheets
• Package sets using wrap, rigid containers, and peel pouches with the correct chemical indicators and labeling
• Run steam and low‑temperature sterilization cycles, verify cycle parameters, and document load records and biological monitoring results
• Process orthopedic sets, loaner trays, and consignment instrumentation
• Track every set in Censitrac, from receipt through return to the client facility
• Follow the protocol for non‑conforming instruments — document it, elevate it, do not pass it along
• Work to ANSI/AAMI standards, manufacturer IFUs, and our Quality Management System, SOPs, and Work Instructions

What you need

• 1+ year of hands‑on sterile processing experience — hospital SPD, ambulatory surgery center, or off‑site reprocessing facility
• High school diploma or GED
• Working knowledge of decontamination, tray assembly, and steam sterilization
• Comfort reading and following IFUs, SOPs, and count sheets
• Willingness to complete required vaccinations and health screenings

What we would like to see

• CRCST (Certified Registered Central Service Technician, HSPA) or CSPDT (Certified Sterile Processing and Distribution Technician, CBSPD)
• Orthopedic instrumentation, loaner tray, and consignment tray experience
• Censitrac, SPM, or other instrument tracking software

About certification

CRCST or CSPDT is preferred, not required at hire. Instrumentum’s policy is that technicians certify within 18 months of their start date — so if you have the hands‑on experience but have not sat for the exam yet, apply anyway. You will have the runway. Where you land in the $27–$37 range depends on your experience and your certification status.

Who does well here

Technicians who work the same way on hour eight as on hour one. Who re‑check the count sheet instead of assuming. Who understand that a tray leaving this building goes into a procedure on a real person, and that nobody downstream catches what we miss.

If you are the tech other techs come find when something does not look right, that is who we are hiring.

The physical side of the job

This is a production environment. We would rather you know what that means before you apply than after you start.

• You will be on your feet for most of your shift
• Lifting up to 50 pounds is a regular part of the work, not an exception
• You will push and pull loaded case carts weighing up to 450 pounds
• Reaching, grasping, and fine hand work are near‑constant
• Routine exposure to biohazardous material and strong chemical odors, with PPE required throughout
• Climate‑controlled facility with controlled access. No travel required

If that reads as normal to you, you have done this job before.

Pay and benefits

• $27.00–$37.00 per hour, based on experience and certification
• Medical, dental, and vision insurance, effective the first of the month after your start date
• Company‑paid life insurance, plus short‑term and long‑term disability
• 401(k) with company match — you are eligible from your first day
• Paid time off that starts accruing on day one, beginning at 10 days and increasing with tenure
• 9 paid holidays. Volunteer to work one and you receive 1.5× pay plus 8 hours of PTO
• Employee Assistance Program
• Paid every two weeks
• Structured training, with a defined path from Technician to Sterile Processing Coordinator

Schedule and location

Full‑time. We have openings on 2nd, and 3rd shift — tell us what you are looking for and we will tell you what is open.

Offsite Reprocessing Center

On‑site position. No direct patient contact.