How to hire medical equipment preparers
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 What you will do • Check sterile supplies to ensure that they are not outdated. • Clean instruments to prepare them for sterilization. • Disinfect and sterilize equipment, such as respirators, hospital beds, or oxygen or dialysis equipment, using sterilizers, aerators, or washers. • Examine equipment to detect leaks, worn or loose parts, or other indications of disrepair. • Operate and maintain steam autoclaves, keeping records of loads completed, items in loads, and maintenance procedures performed. • Organize and assemble routine or specialty surgical instrument trays or other sterilized supplies, filling special requests as needed. • Purge wastes from equipment by connecting equipment to water sources and flushing water through systems. • Record sterilizer test results. 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, monitoring, active listening, reading comprehension, speaking and active learning skills • Working knowledge of customer and personal service and English Language • [Anything else you would really turn someone away for] Pay and benefits [Pay range]. For reference, the U.S. median for this job is $22.93 an hour ($47,700 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 equipment preparers
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- Tell me about a time you had to check sterile supplies to ensure that they are not outdated. What did you do, and how did it turn out?
- Tell me about a time you had to clean instruments to prepare them for sterilization. What did you do, and how did it turn out?
- Tell me about a time you had to disinfect and sterilize equipment, such as respirators, hospital beds, or oxygen or dialysis equipment, using sterilizers, aerators, or washers. What did you do, and how did it turn out?
- Tell me about a time you had to examine equipment to detect leaks, worn or loose parts, or other indications of disrepair. 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?
- How do you keep track of your own work quality during a busy shift or week? Give an example of catching a problem early.
- 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?
- 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 equipment preparers do
- Check sterile supplies to ensure that they are not outdated.
- Clean instruments to prepare them for sterilization.
- Disinfect and sterilize equipment, such as respirators, hospital beds, or oxygen or dialysis equipment, using sterilizers, aerators, or washers.
- Examine equipment to detect leaks, worn or loose parts, or other indications of disrepair.
- Operate and maintain steam autoclaves, keeping records of loads completed, items in loads, and maintenance procedures performed.
- Organize and assemble routine or specialty surgical instrument trays or other sterilized supplies, filling special requests as needed.
- Purge wastes from equipment by connecting equipment to water sources and flushing water through systems.
- Record sterilizer test results.
Skills that matter most
Education, experience and outlook for medical equipment preparers
- Typical education to start: High school diploma or equivalent (BLS)
- Related work experience most have: 1 to 2 years (O*NET)
- Training on the job: Moderate-term on-the-job training (BLS)
- Job outlook: +10.8% over ten years, much faster than average · about 10,700 openings a year (BLS)
What to pay medical equipment preparers
Pay depends a lot on where the job is. Highest and lowest median yearly pay by state:
| State | Median yearly pay |
|---|---|
| California | $61,370 |
| Washington | $58,830 |
| Massachusetts | $58,580 |
| New York | $57,320 |
| New Jersey | $50,280 |
| Iowa | $39,930 |
| Louisiana | $35,960 |
| Alabama | $35,800 |
See medical equipment preparers pay in every state
Related hiring guides
- Surgical Technologists
- Healthcare Support Workers, All Other
- Cardiovascular Technologists and Technicians
- Surgical Assistants
- Calibration Technologists and Technicians
- Medical Equipment Repairers
- Phlebotomists
- Chemical Plant and System Operators
- Massage Therapists
- Dental Assistants
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.