Transportation Security Officer

Transportation Security Officer

Transportation Security Officers (TSOs) are responsible for the security and protection of travelers across all transportation sectors in a courteous and professional manner. They may also secure high-profile events, important figures, and anything that impacts our transportation systems. The salary range for Fairbanks, AK (FAI - Fairbanks International Airport) is $54,965 to $67,816 or $26.34 to $32.49 per hour and includes locality pay of 32.36% and COLA pay of 1.49%, and a retention incentive of 5% of adjusted pay that is unique to this duty location. The continuation of the incentive portion of this hourly rate is contingent upon annual approval and funding. The Transportation Security Administration (TSA) is offering a sign-on bonus of up to $5,000 for this location; paid out in two installments during the first 12 months of service. This amount is subject to change or elimination based on operational needs, however, any applicable sign-on bonus amount will be communicated and agreed upon during the final job offer process.

As a TSO within Security Operations (SO), you will provide security and protection of air travelers, airports, and aircraft in a courteous and professional manner. 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; 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; retaining and implementing knowledge of all applicable Standard Operating Procedures, demonstrating responsible and dependable behavior, and being open to change and adapts to new information or unexpected obstacles.

To qualify for the SV-D pay band (equivalent to the GS-5 / 6), you must meet one of the qualification requirements (A OR B) outlined below :

• Experience : At least one year of full-time work experience in the security industry, aviation screening, or as an X-ray technician.
• Education : Have a high school diploma, General Educational Development (GED), High School Equivalency Test (HiSET), or Test Assessing Secondary Completion (TASC) high school equivalency certificate.

Additional requirements can be found in the Qualifications section.

To ensure adequate background investigative coverage, applicants are required to have resided within the United States for three of the last five years immediately prior to applying for this position. For those applicants who do not meet this residency requirement, an exception may be granted under the following circumstances - (1) applicant worked for U.S. Government in foreign countries in federal civilian or military capacities; (2) applicant was or is a dependent accompanying a federal civilian or military employee serving in foreign countries; (3) applicant who studied abroad at a U.S. affiliated college or university; or (4) applicant who has a current and adequate federal background investigation completed for a federal or Government contractor position.

All TSOs must maintain the standard level of certification and fitness for duty, to include : completing classroom training, on-the-job training, and all initial certification testing; recurrent and specialized training and recertification tests on a periodic basis; passing background investigations, including a criminal check and credit check, and all randomly administered drug and alcohol screening tests.

DHS offers competitive salaries and an attractive benefits package, including : health, dental, vision, life, and long-term care insurance; retirement plan; Thrift Savings Plan [similar to a 401(k)]; Flexible Spending Account; Employee Assistance Program; personal leave days; and paid federal holidays. Other benefits may include flexible work schedules; telework; tuition reimbursement; transportation subsidies; uniform allowance; health and wellness programs; and fitness centers. DHS is committed to employee development and offers a variety of employee training and developmental opportunities.