Transportation Security Officer

Transportation Security Administration•Cedar City, UT

18h•Onsite

About The Position

Transportation Security Officers (TSOs) work in the Transportation Security Administration within the Department of Homeland Security, providing courteous and professional security and protection for air travelers, airports, and aircraft. Duties may also extend to protecting high-profile events, important figures, and other matters affecting transportation systems. TSOs operate screening equipment and technology to identify dangerous objects in baggage, cargo, and on passengers, and prevent those objects from being brought onto aircraft. They conduct searches and screening, including pat-downs and property searches, and may search bags and lift or carry baggage, bins, and property weighing up to 50 pounds. They also control terminal entry and exit points, interact with the public, give directions, and respond to inquiries. The role requires maintaining focus and awareness in a stressful environment with alarms, machinery, crowds, time pressure, and potentially disruptive or angry passengers. Officers use critical thinking and situational judgment to identify, evaluate, and respond to actual and potential security threats, including applying risk-based screening protocols. They must retain and follow applicable Standard Operating Procedures, behave reliably, and adapt to new information or unexpected obstacles. The position requires successful completion of new-hire training, on-the-job training, certification testing, and periodic recurrent or specialized training and recertification. Training may require at least three weeks of travel in full-time duty status, and up to six weeks depending on location. The position may involve exposure to potentially lethal devices and dangerous chemicals. Work schedules are set by the airport and may include shifts on any day of the week, irregular hours, nights, holidays, overtime, extended shifts, weekends, changing shifts, and split shifts. Full-time positions require 40 hours per week. For the Cedar City Regional Airport location, the stated salary range is $46,105 to $56,844 annually ($22.09 to $27.24 per hour), including locality pay of 17.06%. A sign-on bonus of up to $5,000 may be paid in two installments during the first 12 months of service; the amount is subject to change or elimination and will be communicated during the final job-offer process.

Requirements

Must be a U.S. citizen or U.S. national.
Must be at least 18 years old at the time of application.
Must meet Selective Service registration requirements, if applicable.
Must pass a structured interview, drug screening, medical evaluation, and background investigation.
Must be available to work various shifts and overtime as needed.
Must be proficient in English, including reading, writing, speaking, and comprehending.
Must be able to travel for training and occasional work-related travel.
Must meet and maintain physical requirements, including the ability to squat and bend, repeatedly lift and manipulate objects weighing approximately 50 pounds, walk up to three miles during a shift, and stand for prolonged periods of up to four hours.
Must complete required training and certification and pass periodic recertification tests.
Must pass background investigations, including criminal and credit checks, and randomly administered drug and alcohol screening tests.
Applicants must not have delinquent federal or state taxes or past-due child support payments.
Applicants generally must have resided in the United States for three of the five years immediately before applying, unless an identified exception applies.
To qualify for the SV-D pay band, must have either at least one year of full-time work experience in the security industry, aviation screening, or as an X-ray technician, or a high school diploma or recognized high-school equivalency certificate.
Must comply with TSA dress and appearance requirements under the applicable Master Collective Bargaining Agreement.
Must maintain the standard level of certification and fitness for duty.

Responsibilities

Operate screening equipment and technology to identify dangerous objects in baggage, cargo, and on passengers, and prevent them from being transported onto aircraft.
Conduct searches and screening, including physical interaction with passengers such as pat-downs and property searches.
Search bags and lift or carry baggage, bins, and other property weighing up to 50 pounds.
Control terminal entry and exit points.
Interact with the public, provide directions, and respond to inquiries.
Maintain focus and awareness in stressful, noisy, distracting, and time-pressured environments, including when passengers are disruptive or angry.
Use critical thinking and situational judgment to identify, evaluate, and mitigate actual and potential security threats.
Apply risk-based security screening protocols as required by program requirements.
Retain and implement applicable Standard Operating Procedures and adapt to new information or unexpected obstacles.
Complete classroom and on-the-job training, initial certification testing, and recurrent or specialized training and recertification.
Maintain required certification and fitness for duty and pass required background, credit, drug, and alcohol screenings.