JobsAdvocate Health

Sterile Processing Technician (SPD)

Advocate Health · Oshkosh, WI

Posted Sep 17, 2026 · We last checked this listing on Sep 20, 2026

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Likely interview questions for this role

Written from this job description, not a generic list. Each one notes what the interviewer is really checking.

Behavioral

Tell me about a time you caught a problem with an instrument or tray before it went out to a department.

attention to detail and whether they take ownership of catching errors rather than passing them along

This role has you standing, lifting up to 50 pounds, doing sliding transfers of 150 pounds with a partner, and working around chemical fumes and body fluids for a four hour evening shift. What's your experience with physical work like this, and how do you protect yourself from those hazards?

realistic self-assessment of physical readiness and safety awareness, since this isn't a desk job

Tell me about a time things got busy or backed up and you had to prioritize which trays got done first.

ability to function in a fast-paced, stressful environment as the posting describes

Why are you interested in a part-time evening role with weekend and on-call rotation rather than a full-time schedule?

honesty about schedule fit and likelihood of sticking with the irregular hours

Technical

Walk me through what happens to a soiled tray from the moment it hits the decontamination area to when it comes out as a wrapped, sterile set.

whether the candidate actually understands the full decon-to-sterile workflow, not just isolated tasks

How do you decide whether an instrument needs to go through the sonic tank, the washer, or be hand cleaned?

depth of hands-on knowledge of cleaning methods and when each is appropriate

What quality assurance checks do you run to confirm a load actually came out sterile, and what do you do if a biological indicator comes back positive?

whether they know real QA protocols and won't just assume sterility without verifying it

How would you handle a laser instrument set or an orthopedic implant tray differently from a standard instrument set?

understanding that specialty and high-cost equipment needs different handling than routine trays

What do you know about medical terminology or instrument names, and how would you learn what you don't already know?

baseline knowledge plus willingness to keep learning since no experience is formally required

Situational

Say you're running a gas sterilizer and you suspect it failed a cycle. What do you do right then, step by step?

knowledge of escalation procedure and whether they'd act fast instead of guessing or ignoring it

A department calls saying a tray came up missing an instrument. Walk me through how you'd track that down and what you'd tell them.

problem-solving under pressure and communication with clinical staff who are waiting on equipment

You'd be on call every other week and covering a Code 4 with a defibrillator and backup supplies. How do you make sure you're ready to respond quickly if that call comes in?

reliability and preparedness for on-call responsibilities that affect patient safety

You open a supply box and notice a couple of items are damaged or the count doesn't match. What do you do next?

follow-through on documentation and reporting discrepancies rather than letting them slide

Practice this interview out loud.

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The full job description

As published by Advocate Health.

Department: 37719 AMC Oshkosh - Sterile Processing Services Status: Part time Benefits Eligible: No Hou rs Per Week: 16 Schedule Details/Additional Information: • Hours per week: .4 FTE, 16 hours per week/ 32 per pay period • Shift: PM, 3 pm to 7 pm • Weekends: every 6th weekend • Call -one call shift every 2 weeks Pay Range: $20.80 - $31.20 Major Responsibilities: • Receives soiled and contaminated items in decontamination area. Sorts equipment, rinses as needed, places equipment through sonic tanks and washers, reassembles trays, performs safety checks, hangs and sorts instruments, wraps sets according to set policy, and wraps towels and basins appropriately. • Sterilizes instruments and equipment using the aerator, gas sterilizer or steam sterilizer and operates glass dryer. Packages items in steri/peel as required. Performs quality assurance testing for all methods of sterilization to ensure sterility of supplies. Hand cleans miscellaneous instruments (Baxter pump, hypothermo units, etc.) and operates the cart cleaner. • Ensures proper care and handling of high cost instrumentation and equipment to include items requiring special handling, laser instrumentation, orthopedic implants, cardiac assist devices, endoscopic and microscopic instrumentation. • May build case carts according to procedure and physician preference as specified. File case cart sheets and requisitions, responds to Code 4s with defibrillator and back up supplies, maintains CPR annies, tests autoclaves with the tests according to procedure, and changes graphs as necessary. • Checks incoming trays and follows up with departments as to missing instruments or parts. • Takes immediate and appropriate action if a question of sterilizer failure occurs. • Receives and records orders for supplies as requested by departments. Records accurate product number and assures all forms are correctly completed for proper billing. Marks, dates and stocks equipment, which may include returning to appropriate department on a timely basis. • Opens and unpacks supply boxes, checking for damaged goods and number of items received. Reports any discrepancies to the supervisor. Performs credits for unused products returned, checks stock levels, copies supply sheets, checks carts for outdated supplies, and performs general cleaning of shelves. • May performs various patient positioning and transporting duties, which require lifting and pushing/pulling, while utilizing proper technique. Licensure, Registration, and/or Certification Required: • None Required. Education Required: • High School Graduate. Experience Required: • No experience required. Knowledge, Skills & Abilities Required: • Ability to function in fast paced stressful, environment. • Knowledge of sterilization principles and applications. • Familiarity with medical terminology. Physical Requirements and Working Conditions: • Must stand, walk, lift, squat, bend, twist and reach above shoulders various times throughout the workday. • Must be able to: • lift up to 50 lbs. from floor to waist. • lift up to 20 lbs. over the head. • carry up to 40 lbs. a reasonable distance. • Must be able to: • push/pull with 30 lbs of force. • perform a sliding transfer of 150 lbs with a second person present. • Atmosphere in work environment may contain fumes and dust. • Will be exposed to chemical hazards as well as blood and body fluids. Protective clothing must be worn as necessary. • Operates all equipment necessary to perform the job. This job description indicates the general nature and level of work expected of the incumbent. It is not designed to cover or contain a comprehensive listing of activities, duties or responsibilities required of the incumbent. Incumbent may be required to perform other related duties. Our Commitment to You: Advocate Health offers a comprehensive suite of Total Rewards: benefits and well-being programs, competitive compensation, generous retirement offerings, programs that invest in your career development and so much more – so you can live fully at and away from work, including: Compensation • Base compensation listed within the listed pay range based on factors such as qualifications, skills, relevant experience, and/or training • Premium pay such as shift, on call, and more based on a teammate's job • Incentive pay for select positions • Opportunity for annual increases based on performance Benefits and more • Paid Time Off programs • Health and welfare benefits such as medical, dental, vision, life, and Short- and Long-Term Disability • Flexible Spending Accounts for eligible health care and dependent care expenses • Family benefits such as adoption assistance and paid parental leave • Defined contribution retirement plans with employer match and other financial wellness programs • Educational Assistance Program Note: Eligibility for programs listed above may depend on your FTE or status (e.g., full-time, part-time, per diem, temporary, etc.); please ask a Recruiter for more information during an interview. About Advocate Health  Advocate Health is the third-largest nonprofit, integrated health system in the United States, created from the combination of Advocate Aurora Health and Atrium Health. Providing care under the names Advocate Health Care in Illinois; Atrium Health in the Carolinas, Georgia and Alabama; and Aurora Health Care in Wisconsin, Advocate Health is a national leader in clinical innovation, health outcomes, consumer experience and value-based care. Headquartered in Charlotte, North Carolina, Advocate Health services nearly 6 million patients and is engaged in hundreds of clinical trials and research studies, with Wake Forest University School of Medicine serving as the academic core of the enterprise. It is nationally recognized for its expertise in cardiology, neurosciences, oncology, pediatrics and rehabilitation, as well as organ transplants, burn treatments and specialized musculoskeletal programs. Advocate Health employs 155,000 teammates across 69 hospitals and over 1,000 care locations, and offers one of the nation’s largest graduate medical education programs with over 2,000 residents and fellows across more than 200 programs. Committed to providing equitable care for all, Advocate Health provides more than $6 billion in annual community benefits.

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