Surgical (Scrub/OR) Technician

Socket.dev; Shiprock (NM); On-site; USD 42,000 - 60,000; Full time

Job summary

Akicita Federal is hiring Surgical (Scrub) Technicians to support perioperative services at Northern Navajo Medical Center in Shiprock, NM. You will be part of the sterile team, ensuring safe, efficient operations across a range of cases in a countryside where community health matters.

This role emphasizes infection prevention, precision instrument handling, and collaboration with a diverse surgical team, with potential endoscopy scrubbing experience and exposure to federal healthcare standards.

Qualifications

• Experience in federal, tribal, or IHS healthcare settings.
• Cultural awareness of American Indian/Alaska Native healthcare practices.
• Experience scrubbing endoscopy procedures in addition to OR cases.
• Familiarity with Joint Commission or CMS perioperative standards.

Responsibilities

• Perform scrub technician duties for a full range of scheduled and add‑on surgical cases.
• Set up, prepare, and maintain sterile fields with instruments and supplies.
• Pass instruments, sutures, and supplies to surgeons with precision.
• Conduct surgical counts and participate in pre‑procedure time‑outs.
• Uphold infection prevention and sterile technique standards.
• Assist with specimen handling and labeling during procedures.
• Support room turnover and endoscopy suite readiness for up to 15 cases per day.

Skills

IHS/federal setting

Cultural awareness

Navajo language familiarity

Endoscopy scrubbing

Perioperative safety

Job description

Akicita Federal is hiring Surgical (Scrub) Technicians to deliver critical perioperative support for the Indian Health Service's Northern Navajo Medical Center in Shiprock, NM — serving American Indian and Alaska Native communities across the Navajo Area. In this role, you will be a core member of the sterile surgical team, keeping the operating room running safely and efficiently across a diverse mix of surgical and endoscopy cases. This is meaningful, hands‑on work in a community where skilled OR professionals make a direct and lasting difference in patient outcomes.

• Perform scrub technician duties for a full range of scheduled and add‑on surgical cases, including general surgery, OB/GYN, dental, minor oral and facial procedures, podiatry, and endoscopy
• Set up, prepare, and maintain sterile fields — selecting and arranging instruments, supplies, and equipment tailored to each procedure
• Pass instruments, sutures, and supplies to the surgeon and team with precision and anticipation throughout all phases of each case
• Conduct surgical counts (sponges, needles, and instruments) in strict accordance with facility policy and participate in pre‑procedure time‑outs to verify correct site, side, and procedure
• Uphold infection prevention and sterile technique standards throughout every case, ensuring patient and team safety
• Assist with specimen handling and labeling as required during and after procedures
• Support room turnover and endoscopy suite readiness, ensuring efficient transitions between cases in a facility running up to 15 cases per day

What sets candidates apart

• Prior experience working in a federal, tribal, or IHS healthcare setting, or in a rural or underserved community hospital environment
• Cultural awareness of and sensitivity to American Indian and Alaska Native traditions and healthcare practices
• Experience scrubbing endoscopy procedures in addition to traditional OR cases
• Familiarity with Joint Commission (TJC) or CMS accreditation standards in a perioperative setting
• Ability to communicate effectively in Navajo or familiarity with Navajo community health contexts

About Akicita Federal

Akicita Federal is a Native American‑owned federal contractor delivering healthcare, clinical, IT, and program‑support services across the Indian Health Service, the Department of Veterans Affairs, and other federal agencies. We hire the people who do the work — clinicians, analysts, engineers, support staff — and we treat them like the professionals they are.

Equal Opportunity Employer

Akicita Federal is an equal opportunity / affirmative action employer. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, disability status, protected veteran status, or any other characteristic protected by law. Akicita Federal complies with the Indian Preference provisions of the Indian Self‑Determination and Education Assistance Act (P.L. 93‑638) where applicable.