Education level
Job area
Your role as an operational services officer
As an operational services officer (OSO), your role is to support patient care by helping hospitals provide a safe environment.
This includes:
- cleaning hospital rooms, wards and shared areas
- helping with meals, laundry and getting rid of waste
- moving equipment and supplies around the hospital
- moving patients with support from staff
- following safety and quality controls.
Depending on the task, you may work on your own or with a team of health professionals.
We have full time, part time and casual roles, and some include shift work.
What your day might look like
You’ll start your shift by checking your tasks for the day. This may include cleaning patient areas, restocking supplies, setting up surgical tools and making sure rooms are clean and tidy.
During the day, you might:
- clean floors, rooms and equipment to infection control standards
- help deliver meals or collect laundry
- help move patients between wards
- move equipment, beds or supplies around the hospital.
You’ll work with nurses, doctors and other hospital staff to support patient care.
Most OSO roles are in hospitals, but you might also work in areas such as:
- food services
- patient support services
- waste management
- linen and laundry services
- grounds and facility support.
Qualifications
You can start as an OSO without any formal qualifications.
For some senior or specialised roles you may need a Certificate IV in Training & Assessment.
Pay and benefits
Your pay rate and benefits will depend on your role, experience and where you work.
We also offer:
- regular wage increases
- a superannuation rate of 12.75%
- a supportive workplace with flexible working arrangements
- several types of leave
- salary packaging
- help with ongoing professional development costs.
If you're moving to start a new job with us, you may be able to get help with moving and travel costs.
Rural and remote opportunities
In rural and remote hospitals, you may work across a wider range of services and tasks. You’ll also work with smaller teams and the community.
Learn more about our rural and remote opportunities.
Professional growth
You’ll have access to learning and development throughout your career.
This may include:
- on the job training
- learning to use new equipment
- safety and infection control training
- support to move into senior or supervisory roles.
With experience and further study, you may move into other clinical support or health roles.
Career paths
Doing more study when you’re an operational services officer can lead to other roles.
- Senior operational services roles
- Supervisory roles
- Team leader roles
- Hospital support or logistic roles
If you plan to do more study, ask your training provider if your past studies can count towards a higher qualification.