Sterile Processing Technician - 40 Hours Weekly - Day, Evening, & Night Rotation

Essentia Health; United States; On-site; USD 25,000 - 33,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Health Insurance

HSA/FSA

Dental & Vision Insurance

Disability & Life Insurance

Tuition Reimbursement

PTO & Holidays

Parental Leave

Adoption Assistance

Job summary

Essentia Health is seeking a sterile processing technician at St. Mary's Medical Center in Duluth, MN. The role supports reprocessing of surgical instruments and patient care equipment across day, evening, and night shifts, with weekend/holiday rotations required.

A $3,000 sign-on incentive is offered with a 2-year commitment. Tech I/II roles include wage ranges and benefits; educational requirements are minimal, with CRCST certification timelines specified.

Qualifications

• Tech I: CRCST certification within 2 years of hire.
• Tech II: CRCST or CBSPD certification.

Responsibilities

• Reprocess reusable surgical instruments and patient care equipment for use in surgery and throughout nursing units.
• Ensure instruments and equipment are clean, safe, and sterile for patient care.

Skills

Standing/Walking

Lifting/Carrying

Dexterity

Attention to Detail

Problem-Solving

Reliability

Job description

Building Location: Building B - St Marys Medical Center Department: 2003490 STERILE PROCESSING - SMMC HOSP

Essentia Health is seeking a sterile processing technician to serve at St. Mary's Medical Center in Duluth, Minnesota. This sterile tech works 40 hours weekly on a rotating schedule across day, evening, and night shifts. Weekend and holiday rotations are required. A $3,000 sign-on incentive is available with a 2-year commitment.

Education Qualifications: No educational requirements.

About Essentia Health

At Essentia Health, we believe that when you love where you work, it shows in the care you provide. Driven by our mission to make a healthy difference in people’s lives, our clinical and support teams come together every day to deliver high-quality, compassionate care to the communities we are privileged to serve. Here, you’ll find an award-winning culture built around genuine work-life balance, long-term stability, and the resources you need to continually grow your career.

See why Essentia Health is truly like nowhere else: https://vimeo.com/284233541

Why Choose Sterile Processing?

As a sterile processing professional at St. Mary's Medical Center in Duluth, you serve as the critical foundation of surgical safety for northern Minnesota’s premier regional trauma and tertiary care center. Working in a state-of-the-art department equipped with modern sterilization and tracking technologies, you will handle an extensive, high-acuity surgical instrumentation portfolio supporting everything from neurosurgery and cardiac care to complex orthopedics. Supported by a close-knit team culture, comprehensive continuing education, and clear pathways for certification and advancement, you’ll enjoy the stability and generous benefits of Essentia Health while playing a direct, indispensable role in protecting every patient who enters the operating room.

What You'll Do

Responsible for the reprocessing of reusable surgical instruments and patient care equipment for use in surgery and throughout various nursing units. Plays a vital role in ensuring clean, safe, sterile instruments and equipment are available to hospital staff for use in patient care.

Requirements & Responsibilities

• Standing and Walking: The role requires the ability to stand and walk for extended periods, often during an entire 8-hour shift or longer.
• Lifting and Carrying: Technicians must frequently lift and carry items of varying weights. Routine lifting of up to 25 pounds is common. Occasional lifting of up to 50 pounds may be required.
• Pushing and Pulling: The ability to push and pull heavy carts, which can weigh hundreds of pounds when fully loaded with equipment and supplies, is necessary.
• Dexterity and Coordination: Good manual dexterity and hand-eye coordination are essential for handling and assembling delicate surgical instruments and operating equipment.
• Movement: Frequent bending, squatting, crouching, reaching, twisting, and kneeling are part of the daily tasks.
• Environmental Tolerances: Technicians work in a fast-paced environment that can be noisy and warm due to machinery such as autoclaves. They must also be able to wear personal protective equipment (PPE) for extended periods to protect from exposure to blood/body fluids, chemicals, and other hazards.
• Attention to Detail: Meticulous attention to detail is crucial for inspecting instruments for cleanliness and damage.
• Problem-Solving: The ability to troubleshoot issues with equipment and adapt to changing protocols is important.
• Reliability: Maintaining reliable and consistent attendance is a key requirement in this critical healthcare support role.

Wage Range

• Tech I (non-certified): 18.25 - 23.98 based on experience.
• Tech II (certified): 21.71 - 27.10 based on experience.

Benefits for Employees Scheduled 24+ Hours Weekly

• Health Insurance and HSA or FSA accounts
• Dental and Vision insurances
• Supplemental insurances- critical illness, accident, & hospital indemnity
• Paid short-term disability, long-term disability, and basic life insurance
• Supplemental Life and Accidental Death & Dismemberment insurance
• Tuition Reimbursement
• PTO accrual and 7 paid holidays per year
• Paid parental leave after one year
• Adoption assistance after one year
• Bereavement & Jury Duty (all regularly scheduled employees)

Benefits for All Employees, including Casual

• Take Charge (employee wellness program)
• Guidance Resources (free confidential counseling)
• Employee discount program
• 401(k) retirement account (traditional & Roth)
• 401(k) matching & discretionary contributions (subject to service requirements)

Licensure/Certification Qualifications

• Tech I: Must be certified as a Certified Registered Central Service Technician (CRCST) from the Healthcare Sterile Processing Association (HSPA) within 2 years of hire.
• Tech II: Must be certified as a Certified Registered Central Service Technician (CRCST) or Certified Board for Sterile Processing and Distribution (CBSPD).

Job Details

• FTE: 1
• Possible Remote/Hybrid Option:
• Shift Rotation: Day/Eve/Night Rotation (United States of America)
• Shift Start Time: 6:30a/7a/8a/9a/10a/11a/12p/2:30p/11:30p
• Shift End Time: 3p/3:30p/4:30p/5:30p/6:30p/7:30p/8:30p/11p/7a
• Weekends: Every Other
• Holidays: Yes
• Call Obligation: No
• Union: SMMC Main Service Workers Local 70 (SMSVW)
• Union Posting Deadline: 10/21/2026
• Compensation Range: $18.25 - $23.98

Employee Benefits at Essentia Health

At Essentia Health, we’re committed to supporting your well-being, growth, and work-life balance. Our comprehensive benefits include medical, dental, vision, life, and disability insurance, along with supplemental options to fit your needs. We offer a 401(k) plan with employer contributions to help you plan for the future, and we invest in your professional development through training, tuition reimbursement, and educational programs. To help you thrive both at work and at home, we provide flexible scheduling, generous time off, and wellness resources focused on your physical, mental, and emotional health. Please note that benefit eligibility may vary. For full details, refer to your benefit summary or contact our HR Service Center at [phone].

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Essentia Health Value Statement

Essentia Health seeks employees who embrace our commitment to patient- and family-centered care in communities both large and small. We're looking for people who are committed to making patients and their families feel known and understood. People who understand what it means to be Here with you. People who are willing to use their strengths to help others.

Values

Quality | Hospitality | Respect | Joy | Justice | Stewardship | Teamwork

EEO & Diversity Statement

Essentia Health is an Equal Opportunity/Affirmative Action Employer. Essentia Health does not discriminate in employment because of age, color, creed, culture, disability (physical or mental), ethnicity, familial status, gender identity or expression, genetic information, language, local Human Rights Commission activity, national origin, military service, race, religion, sex, sexual orientation, socioeconomic status, or public assistance status.

Background Checking

Job offers are contingent upon successful completion of post-offer screenings. Screenings includes verification of your legal right to work in the United States, a health screening and immunization review, verification of applicable licensure, certifications, education, and experience, and background checks including criminal, urine drug screen and MVR where required.