Transportation Security Officer

Transportation Security Officer

Salary Information: The salary range for Tampa, FL (TPA - Tampa International Airport) is $40,736 to $56,844 or $19.52 to $27.24 per hour and includes locality pay of 17.06%. This Transportation Security Officer position is located in Transportation Security Administration, Department of Homeland Security (DHS). As a Transportation Security Officer (TSOs) 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 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.

The Realistic Job Preview gives you an honest, objective and vivid portrait of what it means to work as a Transportation Security Officer (TSO) and provides employee testimonies about both the good and the challenging aspects of being a TSO.

If a sufficient number of applications are received, the announcement may close before the published closing date. NOTE: Employees occupying frontline positions, i.e., individuals occupying positions that involve contact with the traveling public on a regular and recurring basis, may be required to wear TSA approved and issued personal protective equipment (PPE). PPE includes TSA issued surgical masks, face shields, and nitrile gloves. At TSA, the health and safety of our employees is a top priority.

The TSA Gold+ program is an innovative extension of the Screening Partnership Program, designed to modernize and elevate security screening standards through advanced technology integration, enhanced operational practices, and an improved passenger experience. Under the TSA Gold+ framework, airport sites will be optimized for efficiency, security, and customer service, providing a model for nationwide modernization and setting the benchmark for future screening operations across the country. When Tampa International Airport (TPA) transitions to the TSA Gold+ program, employees may be offered the opportunity to transfer to another TSA federalized airport to maintain federal employment or may opt to pursue continued employment at Tampa International Airport (TPA) with the future TSA Gold+ vendor and will receive a job offer to do so.

Upon transition to the Gold+ Program, candidates that remain in the TSA hiring process at this location may direct questions regarding future job opportunities to the selected Gold+ vendor.