Operating Theatre Technician

An Operating Theatre Technician prepares and maintains surgical equipment, instruments, and the operating theatre environment in Australian hospitals and surgical facilities. They assist surgical teams during procedures by providing instruments, managing swabs and specimens, and ensuring strict aseptic and safety protocols are maintained throughout all operations. They work under the direction of the surgeon and anaesthetist to ensure optimal conditions for patient safety and surgical success.

Sterilise surgical instruments and equipment using autoclaves and chemical sterilisation methods in accordance with Australian Standards and hospital protocols. Prepare operating theatre layout and position surgical lights, operating tables, and anaesthetic machines before procedures commence. Set up instrument trays and tables with sterile instruments, swabs, sutures, and consumables specific to the planned surgical procedure. Maintain sterile field throughout surgery by observing aseptic technique, managing instrument counts, and preventing contamination. Pass instruments and equipment to the surgical team during procedures, anticipating the surgeon's needs and maintaining instrument flow. Count and account for all surgical instruments, swabs, needles, and specimens before, during, and after procedures to prevent retained foreign objects. Handle and label surgical specimens and pathology materials for correct labelling, documentation, and dispatch to pathology laboratories. Monitor and document surgical time, blood loss, fluid intake and output, and other relevant intraoperative data.

The standard entry pathway requires a Certificate IV or Certificate III with at least two years of on-the-job training (ABS skill level 3). Specific qualification requirements vary by employer and state. Some employers may accept equivalent experience. Check yourcareer.gov.au for available courses and dewr.gov.au/skills-reform/free-tafe for subsidised training options.

You're looking at early starts, on-call rosters, and weekend shifts as standard. The emotional weight of working in trauma and emergency surgery stays with you, and one counting mistake during a procedure can have serious consequences for a patient.

Regional centres have fewer positions and less variety. Practically speaking, you need to be near a city hospital network. Remote work isn't possible: you're in the theatre or you're not working.

Published for ANZSCO unit group 3112, the wider group this job sits in, not for this job on its own.

This is the median for full-time employees who are not managers and are paid at the adult rate, before tax and salary sacrifice. It is a guide to what the work pays, not a wage rate.

Source: ABS Survey of Employee Earnings and Hours, May 2025, customised report.

• Accept own accountabilitycore
• Active Listeningcore
• Adaptability and Flexibilitycore
• Attention to Detailcore
• Confidentiality and Privacy Compliancecore
• Empathy and Emotional Intelligencecore
• Health Terminology Literacycore
• Incident Reportingcore
• Multitaskingcore
• Policy and Procedure Adherencecore
• Problem Solvingcore
• Risk Identificationcore
• Team Collaborationcore
• Time Management and Prioritisationcore
• Verbal Communicationcore
• Workflow Prioritisationcore
• Case Note Documentation
• Continuous Learning and Upskilling
• Cultural Awareness and Sensitivity
• Health Record Administration
• Inventory Tracking
• Quality Assurance and Checking
• Record Management
• Regulatory and Legislative Awareness

• ABS OSCA 2024, occupation definition and task statements
• ABS Survey of Employee Earnings and Hours, May 2025, customised report.
• ABS, 2021 Census of Population and Housing based on usual place of residence (Custom Report). OSCA Experimental Estimates.

Role data is drawn from official Australian Government sources, and each figure names where it comes from. Where a role is not in the ABS classification, the page shows no government figures for it. Data may not reflect every local variation.

Where our numbers come from.

Last updated: 30 October 2026