Med spa job descriptions are the first compliance document a practice publishes. Every duty you list is a public statement that a person holding that licence may perform that task in your treatment room. The generic templates that dominate search results were not written with a medical spa in mind. Most med spa job descriptions in circulation are spa job descriptions with the word medical added.
Key Takeaways
- A generic esthetician template will list duties that fall outside the cosmetology or facial specialist scope in a medical setting. Publishing it advertises work the hire may not legally perform.
- Write the duties from the licence up, not from the treatment menu down. The licence sets the ceiling; your menu only decides which part of it you use.
- Six roles cover almost every med spa: medical esthetician, aesthetic RN or nurse injector, NP or PA injector, laser technician, patient coordinator and practice manager. Templates for each are below.
- State a pay range. Federal wage data gives you a defensible floor, and a posting without a range is filtered out by candidates before you are ever compared on anything else.
- Screen on licence, verified competence and documented experience. Those are the lawful filters and they are also the ones that predict performance.
What makes a med spa job description different from a spa job description?
Scope of practice. That is the entire difference, and it is not a formality. In a day spa, the duties you list describe what someone will do. In a medical spa, they describe what someone is legally permitted to do. The two match only if you wrote them from the licence.
The templates that rank for these searches come from general HR platforms and from esthetics schools. They are written for the broad occupation, so they describe skin care in terms of services rather than in terms of authority. Take a duty phrased as "administer advanced facial treatments". In a salon it is unobjectionable. In a practice that also performs injectables and laser resurfacing it is dangerously vague, because it never says where that person's authority stops.
The consequence is concrete. If the posting invites applicants to perform work their licence does not cover, you will interview candidates who expect to do exactly that. You make the offer on that basis, and the correction lands after the person is already in the building. The cheapest place to fix a scope problem is the job description.
Which licence can do what in a med spa?
Before the templates, the tiers. The exact boundaries are set by your own state, so treat this as the shape of the question rather than the answer for every jurisdiction. Florida is used here because it is where most of our hiring data comes from. Skin care sits under Chapter 477 of the Florida Statutes, which governs cosmetology and facial specialist licensing and defines what those licence holders may perform, while anything that penetrates the skin or is otherwise a medical act sits under Chapter 464, the Florida Nurse Practice Act that defines registered and advanced practice nursing scope and the medical practice statutes.
| Tier | Typical roles | Generally permitted | Requires physician or APRN involvement |
|---|---|---|---|
| Non-clinical | Patient coordinator, practice manager | Scheduling, intake, records, retail, treatment education at a general level | Any clinical advice or treatment |
| Cosmetology / facial specialty | Medical esthetician, facial specialist | Facials, superficial exfoliation, extractions, skin care within the state cosmetology scope | Medium and deep peels, injectables, anything penetrating living tissue |
| Registered nurse | Aesthetic RN, nurse injector | Injectables and medical treatments under delegation, patient assessment within nursing scope | Prescribing, diagnosis, independent treatment planning |
| Advanced practice | Nurse practitioner, physician assistant | Assessment, treatment planning and injectables within their scope and protocols | Varies by state; collaboration or supervision requirements commonly apply |
We break these tiers down role by role in our national guide to every med spa role, the four licence tiers behind them and which roles can operate without direct supervision, and the Florida nursing boundary specifically in our explanation of what an aesthetic registered nurse may and may not do under Florida law.
What should each med spa job description actually say?
Six med spa job descriptions follow, one per role. Each is written to be copied into a posting and edited. The duties are phrased so that they stay inside the licence named in the same block, which is the part generic templates get wrong. Compensation ranges are anchored to federal wage data and should be adjusted to your metro.
1. Medical esthetician
Position summary
Delivers skin care treatments within the state cosmetology or facial specialist scope in a medical spa setting, supports clinical providers with pre and post procedure care, and manages the skin health plan for a returning patient base.
Core duties
- Perform facials, chemical and manual exfoliation, extractions and dermaplaning within licensed scope
- Operate cosmetic, non-medical devices for which the practice has documented training, where the state authorises this licence to use them. In Florida this excludes laser, IPL, HIFU and radiofrequency
- Conduct skin assessments and build maintenance plans within the limits of the licence
- Deliver pre-treatment preparation and post-procedure skin care as directed by the clinical provider
- Document treatments accurately in the patient record
- Recommend and dispense retail skin care aligned to the treatment plan
Required licence
Active state cosmetology or facial specialist licence. In Florida this is issued under Chapter 477.
Preferred qualifications
- Experience in a medical rather than salon setting
- Device certifications relevant to the practice menu
- Bilingual capability where the patient base requires it
Reports to
Lead esthetician or practice manager, with clinical direction from the supervising provider.
Compensation range
Anchor to the federal median of $45,330 per year for skincare specialists and adjust upward for your metro, medical setting and device certifications.
Scope note. Check two duties against your own state before the posting goes out, because generic templates get them wrong in both directions. Florida is unusually explicit: Rule 61G5-18.00015 of the Florida Administrative Code, which defines what a cosmetologist and a registered facial specialist may perform expressly permits dermaplaning with a #10 blade as manual exfoliation, and requires sharps to go into a biohazard container. The same rule puts other duties clearly out of reach: microneedling, because it pierces the skin, and laser, intense pulsed light, HIFU, radiofrequency, plasma pen and injections, all of which it classifies as bodily intrusion for medical purposes and outside a cosmetology licence or facial registration. Other states draw these lines differently, so verify rather than copy.
2. Aesthetic registered nurse / nurse injector
Position summary
Performs injectable and medical aesthetic treatments under the delegation and protocols of the practice medical director or supervising provider, and carries clinical assessment responsibility for the patients on their schedule.
Core duties
- Administer neuromodulator and dermal filler treatments under established protocols and delegation, only after the patient has received a good faith examination from a physician, nurse practitioner or physician assistant
- Complete patient assessment, medical history review and treatment consent within nursing scope
- Recognise, escalate and assist in the management of adverse events according to practice protocol
- Operate energy-based devices where state law and practice protocol permit
- Maintain accurate clinical documentation for every treatment
- Participate in protocol review with the supervising provider
Required licence
Active state registered nurse licence. Florida licensure is verified through the Florida Board of Nursing. Delegation and protocol requirements apply.
Preferred qualifications
- Documented injectable training and a treatment portfolio
- Prior aesthetic practice experience
- Basic life support certification current
Reports to
Supervising physician or advanced practice provider, per the practice protocol.
Compensation range
Anchor to the federal median of $97,550 per year for registered nurses and adjust for injectable experience, book portability and your metro. State whether commission applies and on what basis.
Compliance note. The good faith examination is not a formality you can add to the nurse's duties. In Florida it must be performed by a physician, a nurse practitioner or a physician assistant before the treatment, and a registered nurse cannot perform it, so a posting that implies the nurse will assess and treat on their own authority is advertising unlicensed practice of medicine. The delegation and the examination are two separate requirements and you need both. Our guide to the good faith exam Florida med spas must complete before injectables and lasers covers who may perform it and what has to be documented.
Verify the licence itself rather than the resume. The Florida Board of Nursing publishes licensure status and requirements for registered nurses practising in the state, and that check belongs before the offer.
Postings for this role carry every title in the industry. Our guide to the cosmetic injector title explains what it means, which license can hold it and what each credential earns, which is worth reading before you choose the heading of the ad.
3. Nurse practitioner or physician assistant injector
Position summary
Provides aesthetic assessment, treatment planning and advanced injectable treatment within their scope of practice and the practice collaboration or supervision arrangement, and contributes to clinical protocol and oversight of the treatment floor.
Core duties
- Assess patients and develop aesthetic treatment plans within scope of practice
- Perform advanced injectable treatments including full-face and structural approaches
- Manage complications within scope and escalate according to the practice protocol
- Contribute to clinical protocol development and to training of nursing staff
- Prescribe within state authority and the collaboration or supervision arrangement in place
- Maintain clinical documentation and participate in quality review
Required licence
Active state APRN or physician assistant licence, with the collaboration or supervision arrangement your state requires in place before the start date.
Preferred qualifications
- Advanced injectable training and portfolio
- Experience training or supervising other injectors
- Established local patient following where relevant
Reports to
Medical director, under the collaboration or supervision agreement.
Compensation range
Anchor to the federal medians of $132,300 for nurse practitioners and $135,880 for physician assistants, and adjust for aesthetic specialisation and your metro.
The collaboration arrangement is a precondition of this hire rather than paperwork to complete afterwards. We cover how it is structured in our guide to collaborative agreements for advanced practice providers working in Florida aesthetic practices.
For the credentials behind this template, our guide to how to become an aesthetic nurse practitioner in Florida covers the APRN license and timeline, and the aesthetic physician assistant role, its Florida supervision terms and BLS pay percentiles are in our PA guide.
4. Laser technician
Position summary
Operates laser and light-based devices for hair reduction within the authorisation their state grants and the protocols the practice has documented. Resurfacing, vascular lesion treatment and other ablative or deeply penetrating applications are not part of this role: they carry a real risk of burns, necrosis and scarring, and most regulated states reserve them for a licensed healthcare practitioner rather than a technician.
Core duties
- Operate laser and light-based hair removal devices on the practice menu according to documented protocols and under the supervision the state requires
- Perform patient suitability screening and patch testing where protocol requires
- Set and adjust device parameters within the trained and authorised range
- Maintain device logs, safety records and treatment documentation
- Enforce eye protection and treatment room safety procedures
- Escalate adverse reactions to the supervising clinical provider
Required licence
Varies significantly by state, and this is the role where getting it wrong is easiest. In Florida, laser and light-based hair removal may be performed only by a licensed electrologist holding the laser and light-based qualification, and only under the direct supervision and responsibility of a physician licensed under Chapter 458 or 459, per Rule 64B8-56.002 of the Florida Administrative Code. A cosmetology or facial specialist licence does not authorise it. Confirm your own state requirement before publishing this posting.
Preferred qualifications
- Manufacturer certification on the specific device platforms in use
- Prior experience with the practice device menu
- The licence your state requires for this device class, which in Florida is an electrology licence with the laser and light-based qualification
Reports to
Clinical lead or supervising provider.
Compensation range
Set the range against your local market and the device menu. Wage varies more by state authorisation and device complexity than by title.
Because state rules here diverge more than for any other role, confirm the requirement before you advertise. Florida is stricter than most: the Board of Medicine brings laser hair removal under the electrolysis framework, and the supervising physician must be on the premises or supervising by telehealth from within 150 miles with continuous synchronous communication, under the Florida Department of Health rules governing laser and light-based hair removal by licensed electrologists. Our own breakdown of who may legally operate a hair removal laser in Florida and what direct physician supervision actually requires works through the staffing consequences. our breakdown of what Florida requires to operate laser devices in an aesthetic practice sets out the position in this state.
The duties you publish define the role a candidate expects. Writing them from the licence prevents the correction happening after the offer.
5. Patient coordinator / front desk
Position summary
Owns the patient journey outside the treatment room: enquiry response, booking, intake, payment and rebooking. Protects clinical calendar time and converts enquiries into booked appointments.
Core duties
- Respond to enquiries across phone, web and social channels within the practice response standard
- Book, confirm and rebook appointments and manage the waitlist to keep clinical hours full
- Complete patient intake and ensure consent forms are current before treatment
- Process payments, packages and memberships accurately
- Maintain patient records and confidentiality at all times
- Coordinate the provider schedule and flag gaps for proactive outreach
Required licence
No clinical licence required. This role must not provide clinical advice or treatment recommendations beyond general service information.
Preferred qualifications
- Experience in medical or aesthetic front office
- Practice management software familiarity
- Bilingual capability where the patient base requires it
Reports to
Practice manager.
Compensation range
Anchor to the federal mean of $39,460 per year for receptionists and adjust for your metro and for any sales or conversion component you attach.
6. Practice manager
Position summary
Runs the business side of the practice: staffing, scheduling, inventory, compliance administration and performance reporting, so that clinical providers spend their time treating patients.
Core duties
- Manage staff scheduling, coverage and time records across clinical and non-clinical roles
- Own inventory and supplier relationships for products, injectables and consumables
- Maintain licence verification records, training logs and compliance documentation
- Track and report practice performance metrics to ownership
- Coordinate hiring and onboarding for new team members
- Resolve patient service issues and manage the practice reputation
Required licence
No clinical licence required for the administrative function. A clinical licence does not extend management authority over another provider's clinical judgement.
Preferred qualifications
- Experience managing a medical or aesthetic practice
- Working knowledge of state scope of practice requirements
- Financial reporting and inventory management experience
Reports to
Owner or medical director.
Compensation range
Set against your local market for medical practice management. This role is typically the highest paid non-clinical position in the practice.
Which duties should never appear in a med spa job ad?
These phrases migrate most often from a generic template into med spa job descriptions. Each one either overstates the authority of the licence or leaves it undefined.
- "Administer injectables" in an esthetician posting. Injecting is a medical act. It does not belong in a cosmetology or facial specialist job description under any phrasing.
- "Perform chemical peels" without qualifying the depth. Superficial exfoliation and a medium-depth peel are not the same act, and they do not sit at the same licence tier.
- "Diagnose skin conditions" in any non-clinical or esthetician posting. Assessment within scope is not diagnosis, and the two words are not interchangeable in a medical setting.
- "Prescribe" or "recommend prescription products" outside an advanced practice or physician posting. Prescriptive authority is defined by licence and by state.
- "Work independently" for a role your state requires to be supervised or delegated. If oversight is required, say so in the posting; candidates read it as a signal of a well-run practice.
- Open-ended language such as "and other clinical duties as assigned". In a medical setting that phrase covers acts the licence may not permit. Enumerate the duties instead.
Where a treatment sits relative to the licence line is the part worth checking before you publish. Our comparisons of what separates an esthetician from an aesthetic nurse in training, legal scope and the treatments each may perform and of what paramedical esthetics actually covers and where that scope ends inside a clinical setting set out the boundaries these postings have to respect.
Should you put a pay range in the posting?
Yes, and increasingly you have no choice: a growing number of states require pay transparency in job postings, so confirm what your state mandates before you publish. Even where it is optional, a posting without a range is filtered out by candidates before your practice is compared on anything else.
Anchor the range to something defensible. The federal wage data below is the floor, not the target, and a competitive metro or a specialised device menu will sit above it.
Median annual pay by role against projected employment growth, 2025 to 2035. Roles growing fastest are the hardest to fill at the median. Source: BLS Occupational Outlook Handbook, May 2025.
The growth column is the part to read closely when you set the number. The BLS projects nurse practitioner employment to grow 41 percent between 2025 and 2035, and skincare specialist employment to grow 9 percent over the same decade, faster than the average across all occupations. You are competing for these people against every other employer in a tightening market. Posting at the median for a fast-growing occupation is how a role stays open for months.
If commission or a treatment-based bonus applies, define it in the posting: the base, the percentage, what the percentage is calculated on, and when it is paid. Vague compensation is the most common reason a promising candidate disengages between interview and offer.
What can you legally screen on?
Your filters should be licence status, verified competence and documented experience. Those are the criteria that predict how someone performs in a treatment room, and they are also the ones that keep the process lawful. Federal law prohibits employment decisions based on protected characteristics including race, colour, religion, sex, national origin, age, disability and genetic information. That rules out proxies which appear surprisingly often in aesthetic hiring, including any preference framed around a candidate's own appearance.
Write the posting so the requirements are testable. "Active RN licence in this state" is verifiable. "Documented training in neuromodulator and filler administration" is verifiable. "Professional presentation" is not a requirement, it is an invitation to bias, and it tells a strong candidate nothing about the job.
Frequently asked questions
What skills are needed to work at a med spa?
The non-negotiable one is the licence that matches the treatments. Beyond that, four things distinguish strong candidates: patient assessment and consultation, accurate clinical documentation, comfort with the devices on your menu, and the retention behaviour that turns a first appointment into a treatment plan. For clinical roles, recognising and escalating an adverse event correctly matters more than treatment speed.
What do you call someone who works at a med spa?
There is no single title, which is exactly why job descriptions here are difficult. The team is usually a mix of licence tiers. Medical estheticians or facial specialists, aesthetic registered nurses often called nurse injectors, nurse practitioners or physician assistants, laser technicians where the state authorises the role, patient coordinators and a practice manager. A physician medical director provides oversight. The title is a convention; the licence is the substance.
What are the salary expectations at a med spa?
Federal medians for May 2025 give the floor: $45,330 for skincare specialists, $97,550 for registered nurses, $132,300 for nurse practitioners and $135,880 for physician assistants. Med spa roles in competitive metros commonly sit above these, and injector compensation frequently includes commission, which makes the total package harder to compare than the base alone.
Do I need a different job description for each state?
The duties section, yes, if you operate in more than one state. Scope of practice is set state by state, and the laser technician role varies most of all. Some states require a specific licence, others require medical supervision, and a handful impose little formal requirement. The position summary and preferred qualifications usually travel; the required licence and the duties have to be checked against each state board.
Can an esthetician job description include laser treatments?
Only if your state authorises estheticians to operate those devices, and that authority varies widely. Some states permit it under medical supervision, some require a separate certification, and some do not permit it at all. Confirm with your state board before the duty appears in a posting, because advertising it creates an expectation you may not be able to honour.
How long should med spa job descriptions be?
Long enough to be specific and short enough to be read. A position summary, six to eight enumerated duties, the required licence stated plainly, a short preferred list, the reporting line and a pay range. Anything longer tends to be marketing copy about the practice, which belongs elsewhere in the posting rather than inside the description of the job.
Write the duties from the licence up
Med spa job descriptions do two jobs at once. It is attracting a candidate, and it is defining the boundary of what that person will be asked to do in a treatment room. The generic templates handle the first job and ignore the second, which is why they read well and expose the practice. Start from the licence, enumerate the duties that sit inside it, state the range, and the posting becomes both a better advertisement and a safer document.
Once the description is written, post the role to a marketplace built for aesthetic practices, where candidates present their licence tier and clinical experience before you spend time on a call. If you are still deciding which role to fill first, our breakdown of what each aesthetic hire actually costs and the order to hire in when licence scope sets the sequence works through that decision.
