Instrumentum is hiring a Sterile Processing Manager for our Modesto facility. $110,000 to $150,000 per year, depending on experience. Relocation assistance of up to $5,000 is available.
No fighting for the budget. No proving the department matters.
If you have run an SPD inside a hospital, the hard part was never the instruments. It was explaining the department to people who had never walked into it. Justifying headcount. Absorbing blame for OR delays you did not cause and could not fix without equipment nobody would approve.
Sterilization is the only thing Instrumentum does. There is no service line competing with yours for capital, because there is no other service line. The person running this department is not defending a cost center. They are running the operation the company is built around.
The job
This is an established, fully operating site. The department runs, the customers are served, and the work gets done. It is ready for a leader who raises the standard from there. You would own roughly fifteen technicians and coordinators across three shifts, in a facility that reprocesses instrumentation twenty-four hours a day, Monday through Friday.
We are not looking for a caretaker.
What you will do
• Lead the entire sterile processing department — all coordinators and technicians, across all three shifts — and set department goals, quality standards, and performance benchmarks
• Own regulatory compliance against AAMI, CDC, CMS, and accreditation standards, including audits, policies, inspections, and corrective action plans
• Standardize workflows so quality does not change depending on which shift is running
• Train and coach your coordinators, serve as their escalation point, and develop the next group of leaders behind them
• Track quality metrics tied to accuracy, throughput, and instrument turnaround against real surgical schedules
• Lead root-cause investigations and corrective measures when quality issues or process deviations occur
• Act as the department’s voice with logistics and transportation, facility leadership, and customers
• Make the staffing, equipment, and process calls that keep every tray sterile, complete, and on time
What you need
• Five years of experience in sterile processing
• Three years in a management role leading sterile processing staff
• Current certification — CRCST, CBSPD, or CIS
• Working command of AAMI, CDC, CMS, FDA, and Joint Commission standards, manufacturer IFUs, and biological indicator testing and documentation that holds up in an audit
• High school diploma or equivalent
What we would like to see
• A leadership credential — HSPA Certified Healthcare Leader, CSPM, or CSPDM
• Accountability for a multi-shift or 24-hour operation
• Experience standing up or rebuilding a department rather than only maintaining one
• Instrument tracking system experience — SPM, Censitrac, or similar
• Lean, Six Sigma, or other process-improvement training
• A degree in logistics, supply chain, or a healthcare-related field
• Experience in an off-site or centralized reprocessing model
Who does well here
People who set a standard and hold it on third shift, at 2:00 a.m., when nobody is checking. Who would rather find the problem in their own department than have a customer find it. Who can tell a surgeon’s office no when the instructions for use say no, and explain why in a way that ends the argument instead of starting one.
Most of our managers came up as technicians. They know what they are asking of the people on the floor, because they have done it.
The physical side of the job
This is a production environment and this is a working management role. We would rather you know now than find out in week two.
• On your feet and on the floor for a substantial part of your day — this is not a desk job with a department attached
• Pushing and pulling case carts weighing up to 450 pounds
• Frequent reaching, grasping, standing, and walking
• Routine exposure to biohazardous materials and strong odors, with PPE worn for all of it
• Moderate noise. Climate-controlled and cleanroom-adjacent
• Reasonable accommodation may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions of this position
Pay and benefits
• $110,000 to $150,000 per year, depending on experience and qualifications
• Relocation assistance up to $5,000
• Medical, dental, and vision insurance, effective the first of the month after your start date
• Company-paid life insurance, plus short-term and long-term disability
• Flexible Spending Account (FSA)
• 401(k) with company match — you are eligible from your first day
• Paid time off that starts accruing on day one, beginning at 10 days and increasing with tenure
• 9 paid holidays
• Employee Assistance Program
• Paid every two weeks
• Structured training, leadership development, and support toward technical certifications
Schedule and location
Full-time, on-site, primarily day shift, Monday through Friday.
The department itself runs twenty-four hours a day, Monday through Friday, and third shift finishes out early Saturday morning. You would work days and be accountable for the results of all three shifts. Weekend involvement is rare and limited to customer emergencies. We would rather say that plainly here than have it be a surprise later.
Offsite Reprocessing Center
1524 McHenry, Suite 240,
Modesto, CA 95350
Occasional travel to other Instrumentum facilities, vendors, and partners. No direct patient contact.
