Transportation Security Officer

Agency: Department of Homeland Security

Summary

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.

Major duties

• Salary Information: The salary range for Cedar City, UT (CDC - Cedar City Regional Airport) is $46,105 to $56,844 or $22.09 to $27.24 per hour and includes locality pay of 17.06%. Sign-on Bonus: The Transportation Security Administration 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. The amount of the airport's sign-on bonus 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. 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. Realistic Job Preview: 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. To view the video, please Click Here. 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.

Requirements

Conditions of Employment Must possess U.S. Citizenship or be a U.S. National Must have reached the minimum age (18) at the time of application Selective Service registration 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. The requirements above must be met at the time of application submission. Additional requirements can be found in the Qualifications section. To ensure the accomplishment of our mission, DHS requires every employee to be reliable and trustworthy. To meet those standards, all selected applicants must undergo and successfully pass a background investigation as a condition of placement into this position. If you fail to meet the conditions of employment or any other pre-employment requirements, such as missing any of the scheduled appointments, the hiring agency may rescind their tentative offer of employment. If you are entering TSA employment on an appointment without time limitations, you must serve a basic trial period unless you have already met the requirement. Applying to this announcement certifies that you give permission for TSA to share your application with others in DHS for similar positions. Any offers of employment made pursuant to this announcement will be consistent with all applicable authorities, including Presidential Memoranda, Executive Orders, interpretive U.S. Office of Management and Budget (OMB) and U.S. Office of Personnel Management (OPM) guidance, and Office of Management and Budget plans and policies concerning hiring. These authorities are subject to change.

How you will be evaluated

If you meet the minimum qualifications, you may be invited to take the TSO Assessment Battery (TAB) (i.e., a computer based test) to evaluate x-ray interpretation aptitude. Upon passing the TAB you will be eligible to be scheduled for additional assessments, which include: (1) a structured interview to determine, among other qualities, your decision making skill and your ability to work with teams and the general public; (2) a drug screening; and, (3) a job related medical evaluation that includes a color vision test, vision exam, hearing exam, and adequate joint mobility exam (in part to determine the physical potential to repeatedly lift and/or carry up to 50 pounds, to stand for prolonged periods (e.g. 3-4 hours) of time without a break, and to walk up to three miles during a shift). Upon passing these assessments, you will be subject to a pre-hire background investigation. Based upon passing the pre-hire background investigation and a qualitative evaluation of the criteria above, you will be placed in a Ready for Final Job Offer Status. Background Investigation- If you are selected, you will be required to pass an Enter-On-Duty (EOD) Suitability Determination. A final suitability determination will be made after you enter-on-duty and have undergone a full background investigation. You may be removed from your position with TSA if you do not complete the full background investigation or you are found unsuitable for continued employment with TSA after the background investigation is completed. Your qualifications will be evaluated on the following competencies that are relevant to the duties of this position: Attention to Detail Conscientiousness Critical Thinking Flexibility Integrity/Honesty Interpersonal Skills Oral Communication Teamwork Visual Observation For more information on TSO medical requirements, please Click Here. For more information on TSO eligibility standards and background requirements, please Click Here. You may preview the questions for this vacancy here: https://apply.usastaffing.gov/ViewQuestionnaire/13091026 The assessment includes a cut score based on the minimum level of required proficiency in these critical general competencies. You must meet or exceed the cut score to be considered. You will not be considered for the position if you score below the cut score or fail to complete the assessment. Overstating your qualifications and/or experience in your application materials or application questionnaire may result in your removal from consideration. Cheating on the online assessment may also result in your removal from consideration. After TSA completes its hiring, the resumes of the remaining candidates referred for selection consideration may be shared with other DHS Components and other federal agencies. During the application process, you may choose to opt-in if you would like your name, application material, and assessment results to be shared. There is no guarantee of further consideration, and you continue to explore other job opportunity announcements.

How to apply

Please read the entire announcement and all the instructions before you begin an application. To apply for this position, you must complete the initial online application, to include the initial online assessment and submission of the required documentation specified in the Required Documents section above. The complete application package must be submitted by 11:59 PM (ET) on the closing date of the announcement to receive consideration. The application process is as follows: To begin the application process, click the Apply Online button. Answer the questions presented in the application and attach all necessary supporting documentation. While a resume is not required for this position, only resumes up to a total of two pages will be accepted. Applicants with resumes exceeding two pages will be removed from consideration. Click the Submit Application button prior to 11:59 PM (ET) on the announcement closing date. After submitting an online application, you will be notified that your application was received. This message will be delivered to you via email notification. The email may be routed to your "Spam" or "Junk" folder. If you are found eligible for the position, you will receive an invitation from usastaffingoffice@opm.gov to schedule a proctored examination at a test center near you. If you have trouble locating the invitation, check the Spam or Junk folders in your email account or log into your USAJOBS account and click the "Track this application" button to check for copies of any email communications which may have been blocked or identified as spam by your email services provider. Failure to comply with this deadline will result in your application being closed. If closed, you will need to reapply to a future job announcement. We encourage you to apply online. If you have any questions, please see Agency Contact Information for further assistance. The vacancy questionnaire includes four short, free-response essay questions. This provides an opportunity for you to highlight your dedication to public service for the hiring manager and agency leadership (or designee(s)). While your responses are not required and will not be scored, we encourage you to thoughtfully address each question. Please provide a response of 200 words or less to each question. You will be asked to certify that you are using your own words and did not use a consultant or artificial intelligence (AI) such as a large language model (LLM) like ChatGPT or Copilot. To update your application, including supporting documentation, at any time during the announcement open period, return to your USAJOBS account (https://usajobs.gov). There you will find a record of your application, the application status, and an option to Edit my application. This option will no longer be available once the announcement has closed. To verify the status of your application both during and after the announcement open period, log into your USAJOBS account at https://www.usajobs.gov. On the Home page, scroll down and locate your job application. Once the job has been located, click the "Track this application" link on the right under the application date. The page will refresh to display the Agency's Application Information page where you can scroll down and review any notifications the agency has sent you. The Application Status will appear along with the date your application was last updated. For information on what each Application Status means, visit: https://www.usajobs.gov/Help/how-to/application/status/. If you are entering TSA employment on an appointment without time limitations, you must serve a basic trial period unless you have already met the requirement. Veterans and Persons with disabilities possess a wealth of unique talents, experiences, and competencies that can be invaluable to the DHS mission. If you are a member of one of these groups, you may not have to compete with the public for federal jobs. To determine your eligibility for non-competitive appointment and to understand the documentation that is required, click on the links above or contact the Servicing Human Resources Office listed at the bottom of this announcement.

What to expect next

Based on your application and your responses to the application questionnaire, you may be presented with instructions on how to access the USA Hire system to schedule a proctored examination at a testing center near you. You must schedule and complete this proctored examination at a TSA Testing Center within 21 days of receiving the instructions to schedule. You will have the opportunity to request a testing accommodation for the assessments should you have a disability covered under the Rehabilitation Act of 1973 as amended. Passing assessment results will be kept on record for two years and failed assessment results will be kept on record for six months. These results will be used toward future positions for which you might apply that require the same assessments during the specified timeframe. If needed, applicants may request a religious accommodation as part of the hiring process from the designated contact noted in the vacancy announcement (for contact information please see 'Agency Contact Information' listed within the 'How to Apply' section of this job announcement). To be considered for the position, you must meet all qualifications, including meeting or exceeding the cut score on the required assessments. To verify the status of your application, log into your USAJOBS account (https://my.usajobs.gov/Account/Login), all of your applications will appear on the Welcome screen. The Application Status will appear along with the date your application was last updated. For information on what each Application Status means, visit: https://www.usajobs.gov/Help/how-to/application/status/.

Source: USAJOBS (U.S. Office of Personnel Management) — https://www.usajobs.gov:443/job/888825200

Cite this job as: JOBnaru™ — https://jobnaru.com/en/jobs/transportation-security-officer-transportation-security-administration-cedar-cit · Posted 2026-10-15 · Original posting: www.usajobs.gov:443