Surgical Technologist Jobs for OPT Students
Surgical Technologist jobs on OPT are available at hospitals, ambulatory surgery centers, and specialty clinics across the U.S. Most roles require CST certification or eligibility, and STEM OPT extension does not apply to this field. Standard OPT gives you 12 months to secure employer authorization.
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HOURS:
Shift Start Time: Variable
Shift End Time: Variable
AWS Hours Requirement: 10/40 - 10 Hour Shift
Additional Shift Information:
Weekend Requirements: Every Other
On-Call Required: Yes
Hourly Pay Range (Minimum - Midpoint - Maximum): $32.730 - $40.910 - $45.810
This position is covered by a Collective Bargaining Agreement (CBA) with SEIU-UHW. As part of the terms of employment, employees in this role are required to join the union within 31 days of hire and remain a member (e.g. dues paying, fee paying, religious exception contributor) for the duration of the collective bargaining agreement.
This position was originally posted to ratified SEIU members from 02/20/26 to 02/28/26. The position is now available to be filled by internal candidates that are not members of the ratified Bargaining Unit or External candidates to Sharp.
What You Will Do
Provides specific patient care duties and performs unit support activities in the operating room suite.
Required Qualifications
- AHA Basic Life Support for Healthcare Professional (AHA BLS Healthcare) - American Heart Association -REQUIRED
Preferred Qualifications
- H.S. Diploma or Equivalent
- 1 Year As a scrub person in a hospital setting.
- Certified Surgical Technologists (CST) - National Board of Surgical Technology and Surgical Assisting (NBSTSA) -PREFERRED
Other Qualification Requirements
- Approved program for Operating Room Technicians or demonstrated technical skills through on the job training.- Required
Essential Functions
-
Communication
Updates surgeon preference card per entity specific processes.
Complies with all count policies and procedures.
Appropriate report is given to relieving scrub personnel. -
Instruments, Equipment, and Supplies
Accountable that instrument trays match the instrument list provided in tray. Need to escalate when incomplete.
Provides appropriate care and handling of surgical instruments and equipment, including loss prevention.
Assists in room preparation, obtains necessary supplies, and sets up cases per the preference card.
Picks cases following physician preference card. -
Quality Care
Adheres to National Patient Safety Goals, including, but not limited to surgical time-out, medication/fluid labeling on the sterile field, hand hygiene, and use of personal protective equipment.
Demonstrates knowledge of procedures by anticipating needs prior and during each case.
Identifies problems and takes appropriate action, without prompting, to accomplish department objectives and improved quality of care.
Participates in teaching and mentoring new employees.
Role models the Sharp Experience. -
Finance
Assist in achieving department expense per unit of service through judicious use of supplies.
Identifies opportunities for cost containment or improvement of patient care. -
General Support
Works additional or different shifts as requested and where appropriate.
Responsible for department tasks beyond routine responsibilities.
Assists with new employee orientation and training of students.
Consistently fulfills commitments for additional responsibilities.
Does not require direction to use utilize down time effectively including, but not limited to assisting other staff, restocking of rooms, and instrument processing.
$5,000 New Hire Sign On Incentive Eligibility Requirements:
Must have at least one (1) year of surgical tech work experience to be eligible for new hire incentive.
The following are not eligible for hiring incentives:
- Current Sharp employees
- Rehires/Reinstates that are rejoining the organization less than 12 months from last date of employment with Sharp Healthcare
- Candidates with less than one (1) year of surgical tech work experience
To remain eligible for your sign on incentive the following criteria must be met:
- Must remain in original hired FTE status and shift (if specified in offer letter)
- Must remain in original department/specialty.
- Must remain in original Job Title
- Transfers to a non-bonus eligible department or position may result in forfeiting remaining incentive bonus.
Employee Referral Incentive Eligibility:
- Referral must list the name of the Sharp employee that referred them on the job application.
- External referrals only
- If referring a former Sharp employee – must be more than 12 months since last date of employment with Sharp HealthCare at the time of the referral
Sharp HealthCare is an equal opportunity/affirmative action employer. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, religion, color, national origin, gender, gender identity, sexual orientation, age, status as a protected veteran, among other things, or status as a qualified individual with disability or any other protected class.

HOURS:
Shift Start Time: Variable
Shift End Time: Variable
AWS Hours Requirement: 10/40 - 10 Hour Shift
Additional Shift Information:
Weekend Requirements: Every Other
On-Call Required: Yes
Hourly Pay Range (Minimum - Midpoint - Maximum): $32.730 - $40.910 - $45.810
This position is covered by a Collective Bargaining Agreement (CBA) with SEIU-UHW. As part of the terms of employment, employees in this role are required to join the union within 31 days of hire and remain a member (e.g. dues paying, fee paying, religious exception contributor) for the duration of the collective bargaining agreement.
This position was originally posted to ratified SEIU members from 02/20/26 to 02/28/26. The position is now available to be filled by internal candidates that are not members of the ratified Bargaining Unit or External candidates to Sharp.
What You Will Do
Provides specific patient care duties and performs unit support activities in the operating room suite.
Required Qualifications
- AHA Basic Life Support for Healthcare Professional (AHA BLS Healthcare) - American Heart Association -REQUIRED
Preferred Qualifications
- H.S. Diploma or Equivalent
- 1 Year As a scrub person in a hospital setting.
- Certified Surgical Technologists (CST) - National Board of Surgical Technology and Surgical Assisting (NBSTSA) -PREFERRED
Other Qualification Requirements
- Approved program for Operating Room Technicians or demonstrated technical skills through on the job training.- Required
Essential Functions
-
Communication
Updates surgeon preference card per entity specific processes.
Complies with all count policies and procedures.
Appropriate report is given to relieving scrub personnel. -
Instruments, Equipment, and Supplies
Accountable that instrument trays match the instrument list provided in tray. Need to escalate when incomplete.
Provides appropriate care and handling of surgical instruments and equipment, including loss prevention.
Assists in room preparation, obtains necessary supplies, and sets up cases per the preference card.
Picks cases following physician preference card. -
Quality Care
Adheres to National Patient Safety Goals, including, but not limited to surgical time-out, medication/fluid labeling on the sterile field, hand hygiene, and use of personal protective equipment.
Demonstrates knowledge of procedures by anticipating needs prior and during each case.
Identifies problems and takes appropriate action, without prompting, to accomplish department objectives and improved quality of care.
Participates in teaching and mentoring new employees.
Role models the Sharp Experience. -
Finance
Assist in achieving department expense per unit of service through judicious use of supplies.
Identifies opportunities for cost containment or improvement of patient care. -
General Support
Works additional or different shifts as requested and where appropriate.
Responsible for department tasks beyond routine responsibilities.
Assists with new employee orientation and training of students.
Consistently fulfills commitments for additional responsibilities.
Does not require direction to use utilize down time effectively including, but not limited to assisting other staff, restocking of rooms, and instrument processing.
$5,000 New Hire Sign On Incentive Eligibility Requirements:
Must have at least one (1) year of surgical tech work experience to be eligible for new hire incentive.
The following are not eligible for hiring incentives:
- Current Sharp employees
- Rehires/Reinstates that are rejoining the organization less than 12 months from last date of employment with Sharp Healthcare
- Candidates with less than one (1) year of surgical tech work experience
To remain eligible for your sign on incentive the following criteria must be met:
- Must remain in original hired FTE status and shift (if specified in offer letter)
- Must remain in original department/specialty.
- Must remain in original Job Title
- Transfers to a non-bonus eligible department or position may result in forfeiting remaining incentive bonus.
Employee Referral Incentive Eligibility:
- Referral must list the name of the Sharp employee that referred them on the job application.
- External referrals only
- If referring a former Sharp employee – must be more than 12 months since last date of employment with Sharp HealthCare at the time of the referral
Sharp HealthCare is an equal opportunity/affirmative action employer. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, religion, color, national origin, gender, gender identity, sexual orientation, age, status as a protected veteran, among other things, or status as a qualified individual with disability or any other protected class.
How to Get Visa Sponsorship in Surgical Technologist
Target high-volume surgical facilities
Large hospital systems and multi-specialty surgical centers hire surgical technologists at higher volumes than small clinics. Higher hiring volume means more familiarity with OPT work authorization and less resistance to the paperwork involved.
Get your CST before you apply
Most employers require or strongly prefer Certified Surgical Technologist credentials. Sitting for the CST exam before job searching removes a common hiring barrier and signals readiness to work independently from day one.
Apply early in your OPT window
Surgical technologist onboarding typically takes four to six weeks due to credentialing and background checks. Applying at least two months before your start date gives employers enough runway to process your work authorization comfortably.
Address OPT proactively with recruiters
Hospital recruiters often flag OPT candidates as complicated without understanding the process. Briefly explaining that your EAD card authorizes employment without employer sponsorship often resolves hesitation before it becomes a rejection.
Focus on scrub-heavy OR environments
Busy operating rooms at trauma centers, orthopedic surgery centers, and cardiovascular units have persistent staffing shortages. Facilities with chronic understaffing are more willing to work through OPT paperwork to fill critical roles quickly.
Highlight clinical rotation hours and specialties
Employers want to know what surgical specialties you scrubbed during your program. Listing specific procedures and case counts from your clinical training makes your application stand out against candidates with vague or generic experience descriptions.
Surgical Technologist jobs are hiring across the US. Find yours.
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Get Access To All JobsFrequently Asked Questions
Can I work as a Surgical Technologist on OPT?
Yes. If your degree is in surgical technology or a closely related allied health field, working as a surgical technologist is a qualifying use of OPT. Your employment must be directly related to your major area of study. Your EAD card authorizes you to work without your employer filing any additional immigration petition.
Does Surgical Technologist qualify for the STEM OPT extension?
No. Surgical technology programs are classified under CIP code 51.0909, which is not on the DHS STEM designated degree program list. That means your OPT authorization is limited to 12 months. Planning your job search timeline around this constraint is essential, since you cannot extend to 24 months the way engineering or computer science graduates can.
Do Surgical Technologist employers commonly sponsor H-1B visas?
It is less common than in fields like software engineering, but it does happen. Hospital systems that regularly hire foreign-educated allied health workers are most likely to have experience with H-1B sponsorship. During OPT, it is worth having a direct conversation with your employer about H-1B sponsorship before your OPT expiration approaches, since cap registration opens each March.
Where can I find Surgical Technologist jobs that are open to OPT candidates?
Migrate Mate lists surgical technologist roles from employers who are open to hiring OPT students. Filtering by visa-friendly employers saves significant time compared to applying broadly and discovering authorization issues late in the hiring process. Searching on Migrate Mate helps you focus your applications on facilities that already understand OPT work authorization.
What happens to my OPT authorization if I lose my Surgical Technologist job?
You have a 90-day unemployment allowance across your entire OPT period. If you lose your job, that clock starts immediately. You must report the change to your DSO within 10 days. Finding a new qualifying surgical technologist role before exhausting those 90 days is critical, since exceeding the limit ends your OPT status.
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