Transportation Security Officer

Transportation Security Officer

Transportation Security Officers (TSOs) 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 anything that includes or impacts our transportation systems.

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, 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 position is located in Transportation Security Administration, Department of Homeland Security (DHS). 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.

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 : A. Experience : At least one year of full-time work experience in the security industry, aviation screening, or as an X-ray technician. OR B. 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. Credit for experience is given based on a 40-hour workweek. Part-time experience is credited on a part-time ratio, i.e., working 20 hours per week for two months equals one month of experience. No additional credit is given for overtime.

Occasional Travel Required : A minimum of three (3) weeks of travel in a full-time duty status may be required to complete TSA's New Hire training. New Hire training and travel requirements vary by duty location and may require up to six (6) weeks of full-time duty status travel. This training will occur away from the employee's airport of record. Employees will be paid for compensable hours and reimbursed for authorized travel expenses per TSA Travel Policy. While employed with TSA, other occasional travel may be required.

Selective Service Registration Requirement : TSA policy requires verification of Selective Service registration for male applicants born after 12 / 31 / 59. To find out if you initially meet the Selective Service registration requirement for TSA employment, please Click Here.

Credit Check : Applicants must not have delinquent Federal or State taxes, or past due child support payments.

Residency Requirement : 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.

Reemployed Annuitants : Since the TSO position is permanent, it does not meet the eligibility requirement for a salary offset waiver under the National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA) for Fiscal Year 2010. Therefore, former Federal or Postal Service employees who are receiving a civilian retirement annuity may have their salary reduced by the amount of their pension, which could result in a biweekly net pay as low as zero dollars ($0.00) or a debt owed to the Federal Government.

TSO Dress and Appearance Responsibilities : TSOs must adhere to the current Master Collective Bargaining Agreement (CBA). For example, with the exception of half-inch diameter stud-style earrings, non-protruding ear gauges or spacers that match your skin and do not exceed one half-inch diameter, inconspicuous nose or tongue piercings that match your skin or tongue, body piercings may not be visible to the public. The CBA dictates if you have a tattoo that would be visible beyond the standard TSO uniform in areas such as the head and face including a partial tattoo that extends more than one inch beyond the upper neck or behind the ear, it could potentially render you ineligible for the position unless it was able to be covered at all times and not visible to the general public. Additionally, tattoos that are indecent, commonly associated with gangs, extremists, and / or supremacist organizations or that advocate sexual, racial, or religious discrimination, or have a negative impact on TSA's ability to carry out its mission must be covered at all times.

Work Schedules for Full-time Positions : Specific work shifts and schedules will be determined by the airport. Full-time positions require 40 hours per week; Full-time work consists of shift-work on any day from Sunday through Saturday, which may include irregular hours, nights, holidays, overtime, extended shifts, and weekend shifts, changing shifts, and split shifts. A "split-shift" consists of any two work shifts, each lasting at least two (2) hours in one 24-hour period, with at least two (2) hours between work shifts. Work Schedules for Part-time Positions : Specific work shifts and schedules will be determined by the airport. Part-time shifts generally range from 16-32 hours per week Part-time work consists of shift-work on any day from Sunday through Saturday, which may include irregular hours, nights, holidays, overtime, extended shifts and weekend shifts, changing shifts, and split shifts A "split-shift" consists of any two work shifts, each lasting at least two (2) hours in one 24-hour period, with at least two (2) hours between work shifts.

Maintaining Employment : 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.

No moving, relocation or pre-employment travel expenses will be paid for this position, or while in application for this position. This position is not a law enforcement position and therefore, is not covered by Law Enforcement Availability Pay or Law Enforcement Retirement. Per the President's 2014 Fair Employment memo, TSA policy is to not adversely consider a candidate based on unemployment or financial difficulty through no fault of their own. TSA is an excepted service agency. Employment with TSA does not confer the "Competitive Status" that generally results from selection and service in Competitive Service agencies. However, permanent employees who have at least one year of continuous service with TSA will be eligible to apply for positions in other Federal agencies under the OPM-DHS Interchange Agreement. Bargaining Unit Status : This position is in the bargaining unit for which the American Federation of Government Employees (AFGE) is the exclusive representative.

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. For more information, go to the DHS Careers website and select "Benefits."