Instrument Sterilization Technician – Lead (Dental Care II)

University of Colorado•Aurora, CO

1d•Onsite

About The Position

The School of Dental Medicine (SDM) has an opening for a Sterilization Lead Technician. This role is responsible for the cleaning, decontamination, assembly, and sterilization of dental instruments and equipment, maintaining accurate inventory of instrument cassettes, and ensuring timely distribution of sterile materials to all clinical units. The position supports students, residents, faculty, and staff by preparing specialized instrument setups, overseeing the collection and transport of used instruments, and ensuring all sterilization processes comply with infection control protocols, OSHA standards, and established clinical guidelines. In addition to performing sterilization duties, this role trains new staff, ensures consistent adherence to departmental procedures, provides daily workflow direction, and helps maintain an efficient, safe, and high-quality sterilization environment. We are seeking professionals who are collaborative, communicative, detail-oriented, organized, proactive, quality-focused, and committed to continuous learning.

Requirements

Two years of experience in sterilizing dental and /or medical instruments and equipment, which included at least one year of experience preparing specialized dental instrument setups.
Completion of a Sterile Processing Certification program OR a Dental Assistant Certification may substitute for the general sterilization experience, but not for the one year of specific experience with specialized dental instrument setups.
Colorado law requires that candidates for state government jobs be residents of Colorado at the time of application.
Applicants must meet minimum qualifications at the time of hire.

Nice To Haves

Certification either as a Certified Registered Central Service Technician (CRCST) from the International Association of Healthcare Central Service Material Management (IAHCSMM) or as a Sterile Processing and Distribution (SPD) Technician from the Certification Board for Sterile Processing and Distribution (CBSPD).
Experience working in a centralized sterilization laboratory.
Experience in all stages of the sterilization process, including decontamination, preparation and packaging, storage and distribution.
Experience sterilizing medical or dental equipment where sterilization duties consist of at least 50%25 of position’s assigned duties.
Knowledge of all areas in the Dental Reprocessing and Distribution.
Excellent interpersonal and verbal/written communication skills
Exceptional attention to detail, the ability to troubleshoot and verify the accuracy of work
Ability to work independently and be a part of a team
Knowledge of current dental technologies and materials

Responsibilities

Clean and decontaminate instruments and equipment following established procedures and techniques.
Ensure proper functioning of sterilization and sanitizing equipment.
Clean and maintain sanitizing machines and related equipment.
Maintain adequate levels of sterilized instruments for timely distribution.
Issue sterile reusable instruments to operatories and clinical units.
Collect and reprocess used patient care instruments, including transporting dirty case carts from clinical floors to the main decontamination area and returning sterile instruments via case carts.
Prepare specialized instrument setups for undergraduate students, residents, and faculty for use during patient care.
Train new staff on instruments and kits, ensuring they understand the correct names, functions, and assembly procedures.
Provide instruction on quality checks for kits, including verifying contents, packaging, and proper assembly.
Train staff on all sterilization processes, proper use of PPE, equipment operation, and basic troubleshooting.
Oversee proper pre-cleaning, decontamination, and cleaning of surgical instrumentation.
Conduct training on daily and weekly equipment testing and sterilization protocols.
Manage day-to-day operations of the unit, including scheduling, directing workflow, and providing input on staff performance evaluations.

Benefits

Medical: Multiple plan options
Dental:Multiple plan options
Additional Insurance: Disability, Life, Vision
Retirement Plans: State pension (PERA Defined Benefit) or 401(a) - Employer contribtes between 10%25 and 21.5%25 of your gross pay
Paid Time Off: Accruals over the year
Vacation Days: Between 12/year and 24/year (maximum accrual between 192 hours and 384 hours) – specific amount depends on length of total State of Colorado service
Sick Days: 10/year (360 hour maximum accrual)
Holiday Days: 15/year
Tuition Benefit: Employees have access to this benefit on all CU campuses
ECO Pass: Reduced rate RTD Bus and light rail service
There are many additional perks & programs with the CU Advantage.