How to hire medical appliance technicians
A job description you can copy, interview questions tied to the real work, and what to pay. Free.
Job description template
Copy it, fill in the brackets, and remove anything that does not fit your job. Keep only must-haves you would really turn someone away for.
[Job title] at [Company name] [City, State] · [Full-time / Part-time] · [Pay range] About the role [Two or three sentences about your team, the work and why it matters.] What you will do • Bend, form, and shape fabric or material to conform to prescribed contours of structural components. • Construct or receive casts or impressions of patients' torsos or limbs for use as cutting and fabrication patterns. • Drill and tap holes for rivets, and glue, weld, bolt, or rivet parts together to form prosthetic or orthotic devices. • Make orthotic or prosthetic devices, using materials such as thermoplastic and thermosetting materials, metal alloys and leather, and hand or power tools. • Polish artificial limbs, braces, or supports, using grinding and buffing wheels. • Read prescriptions or specifications to determine the type of product or device to be fabricated and the materials and tools required. • Repair, modify, or maintain medical supportive devices, such as artificial limbs, braces, or surgical supports, according to specifications. • Test medical supportive devices for proper alignment, movement, or biomechanical stability, using meters and alignment fixtures. What you bring • [Required license, certification or years of experience, if any] • [Education, only if you truly need it. Typical to start in this job: High school diploma or equivalent] • Strong critical thinking, active listening, reading comprehension, speaking, monitoring and active learning skills • Working knowledge of mechanical, production and processing and design • [Anything else you would really turn someone away for] Pay and benefits [Pay range]. For reference, the U.S. median for this job is $23.09 an hour ($48,030 a year). [Benefits, schedule and anything else candidates should know.] How to apply [Apply on JAI Bot. Every applicant hears back.]
Interview questions for medical appliance technicians
Ask every candidate the same questions, in the same order, and write down what they say. Questions about past work show what someone has actually done.
- Tell me about a time you had to bend, form, and shape fabric or material to conform to prescribed contours of structural components. What did you do, and how did it turn out?
- Tell me about a time you had to construct or receive casts or impressions of patients' torsos or limbs for use as cutting and fabrication patterns. What did you do, and how did it turn out?
- Tell me about a time you had to drill and tap holes for rivets, and glue, weld, bolt, or rivet parts together to form prosthetic or orthotic devices. What did you do, and how did it turn out?
- Tell me about a time you had to make orthotic or prosthetic devices, using materials such as thermoplastic and thermosetting materials, metal alloys and leather, and hand or power tools. What did you do, and how did it turn out?
- Describe a decision at work where the obvious answer was wrong. How did you work out the better choice?
- Tell me about a time you had to understand a request or problem that was explained poorly. How did you make sure you got it right?
- Tell me about written instructions, a policy or a manual you had to follow closely. How did you make sure you followed it correctly?
- Why this job, and why now? What would make you stay here for the long term?
Good answers name a real situation, what the person did themselves and what happened. Avoid questions about age, family plans, religion, health, national origin or anything else unrelated to the job.
What medical appliance technicians do
- Bend, form, and shape fabric or material to conform to prescribed contours of structural components.
- Construct or receive casts or impressions of patients' torsos or limbs for use as cutting and fabrication patterns.
- Drill and tap holes for rivets, and glue, weld, bolt, or rivet parts together to form prosthetic or orthotic devices.
- Make orthotic or prosthetic devices, using materials such as thermoplastic and thermosetting materials, metal alloys and leather, and hand or power tools.
- Polish artificial limbs, braces, or supports, using grinding and buffing wheels.
- Read prescriptions or specifications to determine the type of product or device to be fabricated and the materials and tools required.
- Repair, modify, or maintain medical supportive devices, such as artificial limbs, braces, or surgical supports, according to specifications.
- Test medical supportive devices for proper alignment, movement, or biomechanical stability, using meters and alignment fixtures.
Skills that matter most
Education, experience and outlook for medical appliance technicians
- Typical education to start: High school diploma or equivalent (BLS)
- Related work experience most have: 6 months to 1 year (O*NET)
- Training on the job: Moderate-term on-the-job training (BLS)
- Job outlook: +3.5% over ten years, about as fast as average · about 1,300 openings a year (BLS)
What to pay medical appliance technicians
Pay depends a lot on where the job is. Highest and lowest median yearly pay by state:
| State | Median yearly pay |
|---|---|
| North Carolina | $54,650 |
| California | $51,530 |
| New York | $48,080 |
| Illinois | $46,370 |
| Florida | $46,110 |
See medical appliance technicians pay in every state
Related hiring guides
- Dental Laboratory Technicians
- Medical Equipment Repairers
- Ophthalmic Laboratory Technicians
- Structural Metal Fabricators and Fitters
- Molders, Shapers, and Casters, Except Metal and Plastic
- Surgical Technologists
- Calibration Technologists and Technicians
- Welding, Soldering, and Brazing Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders
- Medical Equipment Preparers
- Chemical Equipment Operators and Tenders
Post this job on JAI Bot. Free to start: JAI Bot reads every applicant against your must-haves, shows the resume evidence behind each one, and helps you reply to everyone. People make every decision.
Post a job freePay by areaJob duties and skills: O*NET 31.0 Database by the U.S. Department of Labor, Employment and Training Administration (USDOL/ETA), used under the CC BY 4.0 license; O*NET® is a trademark of USDOL/ETA. JAI Bot has modified this information; USDOL/ETA has not approved, endorsed, or tested these modifications. Pay: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics OEWS, May 2025. Interview questions and the job description template: JAI Bot, based on the duties and skills above.