After the attacks of 9/11, tens of thousands joined the Transportation Security Administration (TSA) to strengthen our transportation systems and protect the American people.
Maintaining vigilance against terrorism is as important today as ever, and TSA is on the front lines every day, keeping Americans safe when they travel. Transportation Security Officers (TSOs) are the face of the agency and serve in the most important role at TSA. TSOs are responsible for providing security and protection of travelers across all transportation sectors in a courteous and professional manner.
You can be a part of our team and contribute to a mission that matters.
Transportation Security Officers are responsible for providing security and protection of travelers across all transportation sectors in a courteous and professional manner. Their duties may also extend to securing high-profile events, important figures and/or anything that includes or impacts our transportation systems. Learn more about the Transportation Security Officer (TSO) role on the TSA Careers Website.
Salary Information: Pay starts at $51,194 per year for full-time or $24.53 per hour for part-time. Make $65k per year after 2 years with TSA!
Duties may include but are not limited to:
- Operating various screening equipment and technology to identify dangerous objects in baggage, cargo and on passengers, and preventing those objects from being transported onto aircraft.
- Performing searches and screening, which may include physical interaction with passengers (e.g., pat-downs, search of property, etc.), conducting bag searches and lifting/carrying bags, bins, and property weighing up to 50lbs.
- Controlling terminal entry and exit points.
- Interacting with the public, giving directions and responding to inquiries.
- Maintaining focus and awareness while working in a stressful environment which includes noise from alarms, machinery and people, crowd distractions, time pressure, and disruptive and angry passengers, in order to preserve the professional ability to identify and locate potentially life threatening or mass destruction devices, and to make effective decisions in both crisis and routine situations.
- Engaging in continuous development of critical thinking skills, necessary to mitigate actual and potential security threats, by identifying, evaluating, and applying appropriate situational options and approaches. This may include application of risk-based security screening protocols that vary based on program requirements.
- Retaining and implementing knowledge of all applicable Standard Operating Procedures, demonstrating responsible and dependable behavior, and is open to change and adapts to new information or unexpected obstacles.
Conditions of Employment
- You must possess U.S. Citizenship or be a U.S. National.
- You must have reached the minimum age (18) at the time of application.
- Selective Service registration is required.
- Must pass a structured interview, drug screening, medical evaluation, and background investigation
- Subject to post-employment random drug and/or alcohol testing
- Must be available to work various shifts and overtime, as needed.
- Must be proficient in English (e.g., reading, writing, speaking, comprehending).
- Mandatory travel for training and occasional travel may be required
- Exposure to potentially lethal devices and dangerous chemicals is inherent in this position.
Physical Demands: Must meet and maintain physical requirements (including an assessment of physical abilities) including, but not limited to, the following:
- Maintain physical agility to ensure ability to squat and bend.
- Ability to repeatedly lift and manipulate baggage, containers, weighing approximately 50 pounds and other objects subject to security processing.
- Ability to walk up to three (3) miles during a shift and stand for prolonged periods (up to 4 hours) of time.