Transportation Security Officer

Transportation Security Administration; Belleville (IL); On-site; USD 42,000 - 58,000; Full time

Job summary

Transportation Security Administration seeks Transportation Security Officers to protect travelers across all transportation sectors in a courteous, professional manner. Responsibilities include operating screening equipment, conducting searches, and controlling checkpoints to prevent dangerous objects from entering aircraft.

Officers will interact with the public, provide directions, and respond to inquiries while maintaining vigilance in a dynamic, high-traffic setting.

Qualifications

• Prior security screening experience preferred
• Ability to lift up to 50 lbs and perform searches
• Willingness to work in a high-pressure, customer-facing environment

Responsibilities

• Operate screening equipment and technology to identify dangerous objects in baggage and on passengers.
• Conduct bag searches and physical searches as needed; assist with pat-downs and verification tasks.
• Manage terminal entry/exit controls and monitor screening checkpoints to ensure safety and efficiency.
• Engage with the traveling public, provide directions and respond to inquiries.
• Maintain focus in noisy, stressful surroundings and apply procedures to detect threats.

Job description

• Hiring Agency: Transportation Security Administration
• Department: Department of Homeland Security

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.

Key Responsibilities

Salary Information: The salary range for Belleville, IL (BLV - Mid America St. Louis Airport) is $41,769 to $58,287 or $20.01 to $27.93 per hour and includes locality pay of 20.03%. 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.

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.

Which agency is hiring for this position?

This position is with Transportation Security Administration, Department of Homeland Security.

What is the salary for this position?

The posted pay range is $41769 – $58287/yr.

What is the application deadline?

Applications close on 2026-09-29.

Who is eligible to apply?

This position is open under the 'Public' hiring path.

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Source: USAJOBS.gov — U.S. Federal Government