Surgical technologist job description template: service line, call, CST certification and state employment rules
On this page
"Surgical tech, all services, CST preferred, call required." Every surgical technologist reading that wants to know which services, how much call, and whether "preferred" means a new graduate can get the job. Scrubbing high-volume cataracts and arthroscopies at an ambulatory surgery center is a different job from rotating through cardiac, neuro and trauma at a level I hospital, and both differ from covering C-sections on labor and delivery. A useful surgical technologist job description names the setting and service lines, the case mix and volume, the call requirement and response time, the credential in exact terms and any state employment rule, and the orientation. Below are the seat types, the certification and state lines with sources, a copy-ready template, screening and scorecard rows, and common mistakes. For the phone screen, use the surgical technologist screening questions.
Not legal advice. The credential and state points below were checked against the BLS Occupational Outlook Handbook, the National Board of Surgical Technology and Surgical Assisting (NBSTSA) and New York Public Health Law as of October 2026. State rules vary and change; confirm with your state health department or counsel before posting.
Name the service line and the case mix
| Seat | What the day looks like | Must-have that separates it |
|---|---|---|
| Hospital main OR, general rotation | General, ortho, GYN, urology and ENT cases, add-ons and emergencies, call | Broad case experience; comfort being moved between rooms and services |
| Specialty team (cardiac, neuro, ortho, robotics) | Long, complex cases with specialty instrumentation and implants | Specialty experience or a defined training path; knowledge of the team's equipment |
| Ambulatory surgery center | Short, scheduled cases, fast turnover, little or no call, weekday hours | Pace on turnovers; setting up and breaking down efficiently |
| Labor and delivery | Scheduled and emergent C-sections, sometimes on a dedicated L&D team | C-section experience; quick response for emergent cases |
| Trauma center | Unscheduled cases, nights and weekends, multi-team procedures | Calm under pressure; experience setting up quickly for emergencies |
Then settle with the OR manager: cases per day (as an estimate), the services the technologist will cover in the first year, call frequency and response time, whether technologists also circulate or assist with sterile processing, and the robotic platforms in use. If the role is really instrument reprocessing, the sterile processing technician screening questions describe that job instead.
Certification and state lines
Education. The BLS Occupational Outlook Handbook profile for surgical assistants and technologists (last modified August 27, 2026) says they typically need a certificate or associate's degree from an accredited program, that employers may require or prefer certification, that many jobs require CPR or basic life support certification, and that some states regulate these workers.
The CST. The Certified Surgical Technologist credential comes from the NBSTSA, which says only a surgical technologist certified by the NBSTSA can be called a CST. Its eligibility page lists graduates of CAAHEP- or ABHES-accredited surgical technology programs, plus a military pathway. Other organizations offer surgical technology certifications too; if you accept them, list which ones, because some state laws refer to credentials from a nationally accredited credentialing organization.
A state example: New York. Under New York Public Health Law section 2824, a person may not function as a surgical technologist in a covered healthcare facility, and the facility may not employ or contract for one, unless the person has completed a nationally accredited surgical technology program and holds and maintains a certified surgical technologist credential from a nationally accredited credentialing organization, has completed qualifying military training, or shows qualifying prior employment before the law took effect. A graduate may work for twelve months after completing the program but not beyond that without documentation of the credential, qualified technologists must complete fifteen hours of continuing education each year, and the facility must verify it. Covered facilities include general hospitals and hospitals operating as diagnostic and treatment centers that provide ambulatory surgery. Other states have their own versions; check yours.
Bloodborne pathogens. Surgical technologists have occupational exposure under OSHA's standard, which requires training and a no-cost hepatitis B vaccine offer (29 CFR 1910.1030). State the offer and leave health questions for after the conditional offer; see pre-employment medical exams and the ADA.
The surgical technologist job description template
Surgical Technologist — [Main OR / Specialty Team / ASC / Labor
and Delivery] — [Days / Evenings / Nights], [N]-hour shifts
[Facility], [city, state]
Pay: $[min]–$[max] per hour, plus [shift differentials, call pay
$N per hour on standby and callback rate]. [Benefits summary, if
required.]
SUMMARY
You will scrub [service lines] cases in [setting], about [N] cases
a day (an estimate). Call: [frequency], with a [N]-minute response
time. You will report to the [OR manager / surgical services lead]
and work alongside RN circulators, surgeons and anesthesia.
WHAT YOU WILL DO
- Pull and verify preference cards, instruments and supplies
before each case.
- Set up the sterile field, perform counts with the circulator,
and maintain sterile technique throughout.
- Anticipate the surgeon's needs and pass instruments, sutures and
supplies.
- Handle specimens and medications on the field per policy.
- [Assist with robotic setup and docking on (platform).]
- Break down the room, care for instruments and support turnover.
YOU MUST HAVE
- Graduation from an accredited surgical technology program [or
qualifying military training].
- [CST from the NBSTSA / CST within (N) months of hire / other
accepted credentials: (list).]
- [State requirement, e.g. New York PHL 2824 qualifying route.]
- Current BLS.
- [N] [months / years] scrubbing in [services], or new graduates
welcome with a [N]-week orientation.
- Ability to stand for long cases and take call as scheduled,
with or without reasonable accommodation.
NICE TO HAVE
- [Specialty] experience; robotic case experience.
If you meet the must-haves and none of these, please apply.
SAFETY
Bloodborne pathogen training is provided. Hepatitis B vaccination
is offered at no cost.
[EEO STATEMENT]
To request an adjustment to apply or interview, contact [contact].Pay and EEO
Post the hourly range, differentials and both parts of call pay: the standby rate and what is paid once called in. The BLS profile linked above publishes pay data; this page does not quote figures. Close with a short EEO statement covering the characteristics the EEOC lists, and an accommodation contact.
From must-haves to screening questions and scorecard rows
| Must-have | Screening question | Scorecard competency | Evidence of a strong answer |
|---|---|---|---|
| Credential and state rule | "Do you hold the CST or another certification, and when does it renew?" | Not scored: verified with the issuer | Credential, number and renewal date you can verify |
| Case experience | "Which services have you scrubbed independently, and which would you need precepting on?" | Experience match | A specific list and honest gaps |
| Sterile technique | "You notice a hole in the surgeon's glove mid-case. What do you do?" | Asepsis | Speaks up immediately, assists with a regown or reglove, does not hesitate because of rank |
| Counts | "The final count is off by one sponge and the surgeon wants to close. Walk me through it." | Patient safety | Stops closure, recounts, searches, follows the policy including imaging; documents |
| Anticipation | "Pick a case you scrub often. What are the three moments where you get ahead of the surgeon?" | Procedural knowledge | Specific steps and instruments in order |
| Call reliability | "How often have you taken call, and how far do you live from your last facility?" | Availability | Realistic about response time; a history of meeting it |
To source by service line and credential, see the boolean search strings for surgical technologists. For panel rounds, use the interview guide for healthcare roles.
Common mistakes in surgical technologist job descriptions
"All services" with no first-year plan
New technologists want to know which services they will learn first. Experienced ones want to know whether they will be pulled from their specialty. Say which.
"CST preferred" in a state that requires a credential
If state law requires a credential after a grace period, "preferred" misleads candidates and creates risk for the facility. Write the rule.
Call left vague
Frequency, response time and pay for call decide many offers. Put them in the posting.
Health questions on the application
Offer the vaccine in the posting; handle health information only after a conditional offer.
Before you publish
- Setting, service lines and case volume are in the summary.
- The credential line names the CST or the credentials you accept, with any deadline.
- Your state's surgical technologist rule, if any, is reflected.
- Call frequency, response time and call pay are stated.
- Pay, EEO statement and accommodation contact close the posting.
Questions people ask
Should a surgical technologist posting require the CST?
Many employers do, and some states effectively require it. The CST credential comes from the NBSTSA, and its exam is open to graduates of CAAHEP- or ABHES-accredited surgical technology programs, with a separate military pathway. BLS notes that employers may require or prefer certification and that some states regulate these workers. If you accept new graduates who have not yet passed, say how long they have.
Which states regulate surgical technologists?
Several do, in different ways, and the BLS profile simply says some states regulate these workers. New York is a clear example: its Public Health Law bars general hospitals and certain ambulatory surgery providers from employing a surgical technologist who does not meet one of its qualifying routes, such as an accredited program plus a maintained CST credential. Check your state's statute or health department before posting.
Can a new graduate work before passing the CST exam?
It depends on the state and your policy. In New York, a graduate of an accredited program may work for up to twelve months after completing it, but may not continue beyond that without documentation of the credential. If your state has no rule, set a deadline in your own policy and state it in the posting.
Should the posting list call requirements?
Yes. Call frequency, how fast the technologist must arrive, and how standby and callback hours are paid are the details candidates compare most after the service line. Leaving them out leads to offers that are declined once the call schedule is shown.