Surgical First Assistant Jobs in Pennsylvania

Surgical First assistant jobs in Pennsylvania are concentrated in hospital systems, ambulatory surgical centers, and specialty surgical practices, with openings at every level from new graduate to senior scrub-in roles. Philadelphia, Pittsburgh, and Allentown anchor the bulk of hiring, where established systems like Penn Medicine, UPMC, and Lehigh Valley Health Network regularly staff surgical first assistant positions. Cardiothoracic, orthopedic, and neurosurgical specialties see the most consistent demand across Pennsylvania facilities. Find a role that fits below and apply directly.

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Overview

Open roles5
Top employerMPOWERHealth
Top cityLancaster, PA
Cities hiring3
Work type100% On-site
Top industryHealthcare

Showing 5 of 5+ Surgical First Assistant jobs

Certified Surgical First Assistant
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Added 2w ago
Certified Surgical First Assistant
WellSpan Health
York, Pennsylvania
Healthcare Administration
Medical Assistant
Patient Services & Wellbeing
BLS Certification
10,000+

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Surgical Tech First Assistant
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Added 1mo ago
Surgical Tech First Assistant
Penn State Health
Lancaster, Pennsylvania
Nursing
Healthcare Administration
Patient Services & Wellbeing
On-Site
None
10,000+

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Surgical First Assist - Ortho, Neuro, GYN, General & Robotics - PA/NP- Reading, PA
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Added 2mo ago
Surgical First Assist - Ortho, Neuro, GYN, General & Robotics - PA/NP- Reading, PA
MPOWERHealth
Reading, Pennsylvania
Healthcare Administration
Patient Services & Wellbeing
Public Health
201-500

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Certified First Assistant-Surgical Technologist - PRN
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Added 6mo ago
Certified First Assistant-Surgical Technologist - PRN
Penn Medicine
Lancaster, Pennsylvania
Allied Health
Clinical Support
Healthcare Administration
CPR Certification
10,000+

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Certified First Assistant-Surgical Technologist
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Added 9mo ago
Certified First Assistant-Surgical Technologist
Penn Medicine, University of Pennsylvania Health System
Lancaster, Pennsylvania
Nursing
Healthcare Administration
Patient Services & Wellbeing
On-Site
Associate's

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Surgical First Assistant Jobs by City in Pennsylvania

Where Pennsylvania roles are concentrated, by current openings.

Lancaster
3 jobs
York
1 job
Reading
1 job

Surgical First Assistant Job Market in Pennsylvania

A snapshot from current Pennsylvania openings, updated as new roles post.

Who's Hiring

MPOWERHealth1 open role
Penn Medicine1 open role
WellSpan Health1 open role

Top Industries Hiring

  • Healthcare & Medical Services

What Pennsylvania Employers Look For

The qualifications that appear most often in surgical first assistant jobs across Pennsylvania.

  • Active Pennsylvania-recognized CST or CSFA credential required by most hiring facilities
  • Minimum two years of first-assisting or surgical scrub experience in an accredited setting
  • BLS and ACLS certification current at time of hire
  • Graduate of an accredited surgical technology or surgical assisting program
  • Demonstrated competency in one or more specialty surgical service lines
  • Ability to obtain hospital privileging and credentialing within 90 days of hire

Surgical First Assistant Jobs in Pennsylvania: Frequently Asked Questions

How do you become a surgical first assistant in Pennsylvania?

Pennsylvania does not issue a state-specific surgical first assistant license, so the path runs through national credentialing accepted by Pennsylvania employers. Most Pennsylvania hospitals and surgical centers require the Certified Surgical First Assistant credential from the National Board of Surgical Technology and Surgical Assisting or the CSFA from the American Board of Surgical Assistants. Candidates typically complete an accredited surgical technology or surgical assisting program, accumulate supervised clinical hours, and pass the relevant certification exam before applying.

How much do surgical first assistants make in Pennsylvania?

Surgical first assistants in Pennsylvania earn a median of about $60,550 a year, based on May 2025 Bureau of Labor Statistics wage data, ranging from around $43,080 for the lowest 10% to over $107,750 for the top 10%. Pay rises with experience, specialty, and employer.

Which companies hire surgical first assistants in Pennsylvania?

Employers hiring surgical first assistants in Pennsylvania right now include MPOWERHealth, Penn Medicine, and WellSpan Health, based on current listings on Migrate Mate as of October 2026. Pennsylvania's large integrated health systems drive steady demand, particularly for surgical first assistants credentialed in high-volume specialty service lines.

Which Pennsylvania cities have the most surgical first assistant jobs?

Lancaster, York, and Reading have the most surgical first assistant openings in Pennsylvania. Philadelphia and Pittsburgh lead because both cities are home to major academic medical centers and multi-hospital health systems, while Allentown and other Lehigh Valley communities have grown significantly as Lehigh Valley Health Network and nearby specialty surgical centers have expanded their operating room capacity.

Are there remote surgical first assistant jobs in Pennsylvania?

Yes, but they're rare. Surgical first assisting is a hands-on, sterile-field role that requires physical presence in the operating room, so remote work is not typical for the core position. About 0% of surgical first assistant openings tied to Pennsylvania are remote or hybrid as of October 2026, and those listings generally involve administrative, education, or clinical coordination responsibilities rather than direct patient-side assisting.

How can I get hired as a surgical first assistant in Pennsylvania with little or no experience?

The most realistic entry point is a surgical technologist role at a large Pennsylvania health system, which builds the scrub-in hours required for first-assistant credentialing. UPMC and Penn Medicine both run structured new-graduate surgical technology residency and training tracks that accept candidates without post-graduation experience. From a surgical tech position, applying internally for first-assisting opportunities once you have your NBSTSA certification and required case counts gives you a clear, documented path that Pennsylvania hiring managers recognize.

Where can I find and apply to surgical first assistant jobs in Pennsylvania?

You can find and apply to surgical first assistant jobs in Pennsylvania on Migrate Mate, which lists current Pennsylvania openings updated regularly. Search the listings to see roles that match your specialty, experience level, and preferred location, then apply directly to the ones that fit.

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