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Surgical Cardiac Tech III - Surgery - Full Time 10 Hour Days (Non-Exempt) (Union)

University of Southern California

Los Angeles, CAFull-time$37.96–64.53/hrSeen 5 days agoSeen in employer's feed 5 days ago

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At a glance

Compensation
$37.96–64.53/hr
Location
Los Angeles, CA
Schedule
Full-time
Work Authorization
Not specified

Olive lists jobs from US employers, including remote roles you can work from the United States.

Requirements

Credentials this posting asks for.

CST CertificationBLS Healthcare Provider CertificationLA City Fire Life Safety Training

Job overview

Under general guidance of a Registered Nurse, the Surgical Cardiac Tech III assists the surgical team in the operating room and provides care for patients. The role handles complex procedures, including cardiac and/or transplant surgeries, and may mentor or lead other surgical technicians. It requires three years of acute-care surgical technician experience, expertise in at least three surgical specialties, and specified training and certifications.

Skills & qualifications

RequiredNice to have

Skills

Surgical TechniquesAseptic TechniqueSurgical InstrumentationPatient CareSurgical Services Process ImprovementCritical ThinkingIndependent Judgment

Qualifications

High School or EquivalentCAAHEP-Accredited Surgical Technician Program3 Years Surgical Technician ExperienceAcute Care Surgical ExperienceActive Surgical Technician Practice Within 6 MonthsCST CertificationBLS Healthcare Provider CertificationLA City Fire Life Safety Training

Full job description

Under general guidance of the Registered Nurse, the Surgical Cardiac Tech III applies, demonstrates, and possess advance/expert knowledge, competencies, and skills of surgical and aseptic techniques and practices; assists the surgical team and performs a variety of tasks in an operating room; prepares, sterilizes, and cleans up surgical equipment and instruments; and is responsible for the care and safety of patients who come under his/her care. The Surgical Tech III is generally assigned the more difficult surgical/operative procedures and exercises high-level critical thinking and independent judgement. May mentor or lead other surgical techniciansEssential Duties

  • Performs similar responsibilities as the Surgical Tech II but distinguishes from the Tech II in that the Surgical Tech III is an advance to lead level position and is generally assigned the more difficult surgical/operative procedures (such as Cardiac and/or Transplant surgeries) which requires higher level knowledge, skills, and ability to adapt to the operative procedure.

  • Adheres to all safety standards and policies (such as surgical, specimen collection, sterile processing, Title 22, JCAHO) as they relate while performing all responsibilities.

  • Applies principles of aseptic technique and initiates prompt corrective action when breaks in aseptic technique occur.

  • Remains attentive throughout the operative procedure, anticipating the needs of the surgical team, and responds appropriately during emergency intraoperative crises.

  • Maintains ongoing communication with the circulating nurse and other members of the surgical team regarding changes in patient status or the progress of surgery.

  • Arranges and inventories sterile set-up for operation.

  • Facilitates the smooth flow of the surgical intervention (i.e., prepares for the procedure with updated preference cards, knowledge of instruments and equipment).

  • Performs scrub role (such as anticipating surgical team’s needs, passing of instruments, cutting sutures, etc.) according to standards.

  • Prepares, cleans, and maintains instruments, equipment, and all surgical related items in accordance to established guidelines.

  • Transports patients, equipment, supplies, and specimens.

  • Prepares operating room (OR) by setting up tables, instruments, and supplies in according to type of case/operative procedure.

  • Performs the preceptor role in the training of students.

  • Participates in decision-marking activities related to evaluating and acquiring surgical equipment, instruments, and supplies.

  • Recommends, implements, and participates process improvement projects on an ongoing basis.

  • May mentor and/or lead other surgical technicians

  • May assist in performing circulating skills and task.

  • Performs all duties as assigned.

Qualifications

  • Req High School or equivalent

  • Req Specialized/technical training Completion of a CAAHEP accredited Surgical Technician Program is required

  • Req 3 years Three years Surgical Technician experience in an acute care setting with expertise in at least three Surgical Specialties, of which one must be Cardiac and/or Liver Transplant.

  • Req Experience must have included surgical services process improvement project planning, implementing, or participation.

  • Req Active practice as a Surgical Technician within the six (6) months prior to application

  • Req Surgical Technologist - CST Valid Surgical Tech certification (CST) from accreditation organizations CAAHEP or ABHES

  • Req Basic Life Support (BLS) Healthcare Provider from American Heart Association

  • Req Fire Life Safety Training (LA City) If no card upon hire, one must be obtained within 30 days of hire and maintained by renewal before expiration date. (Required within LA City only)

Keck Hospital of USC, a 343-bed acute care hospital, provides exceptional and innovative care for complex medical and surgical conditions across a wide range of specialties. The hospital’s world-renowned physicians deliver compassionate, customized, patient-centered care and treat the most acutely ill patients with highly innovative techniques and treatment plans. As a leading academic medical center, hundreds of clinical trials are currently taking place at Keck Hospital and its affiliated research institutions, giving patients access to novel and promising therapies that are generally not available elsewhere. Every day at Keck Hospital, physicians, nurses and staff go beyond the science of exceptional medicine to bring patients breakthroughs in the art of caring. Join this world-class team providing highly specialized care, up-to-the-minute research, and innovative clinical trials. The hourly rate range for this position is $37.96 - $64.53. When extending an offer of employment, the University of Southern California considers factors such as (but not limited to) the scope and responsibilities of the position, the candidate’s work experience, education/training, key skills, internal peer equity, federal, state, and local laws, contractual stipulations, grant funding, as well as external market and organizational considerations.

How this job compares

Set against the 771 open Surgical Technician jobs on Olive Jobs, counted October 27, 2026.

Pay
  • This posting$37.96–64.53/hr
  • California median$41–57/hr71 hourly ranges
  • US median$31–44/hr341 hourly ranges

This range's midpoint, $51.25/hr, is 6% above the California median midpoint ($48/hr) — in the middle half of Surgical Technician hourly ranges in California.

Openings
Olive Jobs lists 130 open Surgical Technician jobs in California and 771 across the US. None of them nationwide are listed as remote or flexible.
Hiring the most in California
Experience
This posting asks for at least 3 years of experience — more than three in four Surgical Technician postings that state a minimum ask for (median 1 year, across 442 postings).
Education
This posting asks for a high school diploma; 306 of the 771 open Surgical Technician jobs (40%) ask for a high school diploma or higher.

Counted across the open, public US postings on Olive Jobs on October 27, 2026. Pay medians are the middle values of the low ends and of the high ends of postings that list both ends of a range in the same cadence (a yearly salary or an hourly rate); a range's midpoint is halfway between its ends. Pay and experience figures resting on fewer than 20 postings are left out.

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