Instrument Sterilization Technician - Lead; Dental Care II

University of Colorado Anschutz Medical Campus

Department: Department of Dental Clinic Support Services

Job Title: Instrument Sterilization Technician - Lead (Dental Care II)

Position # – Requisition #38709

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 seek professionals who are collaborative, communicative, detail‑oriented, organized, proactive, quality‑focused, and committed to continuous learning.

• 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.

Onsite – this role is expected to work onsite and is located in Aurora, Colorado.

Benefits include medical and dental plan options, additional insurance, retirement plans, paid time off, vacation and sick days, tuition benefits, and ECO pass for reduced public transit rates. More details are available through the CU Advantage program.

Minimum Qualifications: Two years of experience in sterilizing dental and/or medical instruments and equipment, including at least one year preparing specialized dental instrument setups. Completion of a Sterile Processing Certification program or a Dental Assistant Certification may substitute for general sterilization experience, but not for the specialized experience.

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.

• Certification 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 account for at…