Sterile Services Trainee Technician | East and North Hertfordshire Teaching NHS Trust

We are recruiting for a SSD/EDD Trainee Technician who shares our vision to be trusted to provide consistently outstanding care and exemplary service to our patients.

You will undertake a structured training programme within the Sterile Services Department to develop the knowledge and practical skills required for the safe decontamination and sterilisation of reusable medical devices.

Working under supervision, the post holder will support the collection, cleaning, inspection, assembly, sterilisation and dispatch of surgical instruments, ensuring all activities are carried out in accordance with Trust policies, national guidance (HTM 01-01 / HTM 01-06) and quality standards. The role requires a strong commitment to learning, attention to detail, and the ability to work effectively as part of a team in a fast-paced, safety-critical environment.

At the heart of everything we do are our core values: Include, Respect, and Improve. We encourage you to embrace these values throughout the recruitment process and in your role with us.

Participate in a structured training programme to achieve competency in all aspects of decontamination and sterilisation processes

Collect used surgical instruments and medical devices from designated areas within the Trust

Carry out sorting, cleaning and decontamination of reusable equipment in line with departmental procedures

Prepare, load and operate decontamination and sterilisation equipment under supervision Inspect, assemble and package instruments in preparation for sterilisation

Perform routine operational tests on equipment and accurately complete associated records

Maintain clean, safe and organised work areas, ensuring compliance with infection prevention and health & safety requirements

Use tracking and traceability systems to record instrument processing activity

Follow procedures for product release and escalation of faults, defects or non-compliance

Prioritise workload in line with service demands and customer requirements

Work collaboratively with colleagues and communicate effectively within the team

Adhere to Trust policies, quality standards, and regulatory requirements at all times

At East and North Hertfordshire Teaching NHS Trust, we are proud of the range of general and specialist services we provide and our 6,000 or so dedicated staff ensure our patients get the best care. Our ability to be flexible and innovative in the way in which we work and deliver our services to our catchment has never been more important than it is now.

We run the following hospitals

• The Lister Hospital, Stevenage
• New Queen Elizabeth II (New QEII), Welwyn Garden City
• Hertford County, Hertford
• Mount Vernon Cancer Centre (MVCC), Northwood

We have ambitious plans to become an outstanding, patient-led Trust where dedicated staff provide high-quality, compassionate care to our patients. We continue to undergo significant transformation and our staff and patients are at the heart of delivering this ambitious agenda.

We are committed to a positive work life balance for our employees. This means that any employee is entitled to seek to work flexible working patterns and we are committed to listen and consider all requests. Such requests, of course, have to be made and considered formally, and will need to be balanced against service needs, but our starting point will always be to find ways to support making them happen.

Please see the attached Job Description and Person Specification applicant pack for further detailed information regarding this role.

This advert closes on Tuesday 9 Jun 2026