Overview

TSA Operations Specialist

The security checkpoint at the Local Area airport facility plays a critical role in maintaining safety standards for local and regional departures. The TSA Operations Specialist position is central to daily checkpoint and terminal security operations. This federal role within the Department of Homeland Security offers a career with purpose, stability, and real impact on public safety. Day-to-day responsibilities for a TSA Operations Specialist include screening passengers and baggage, resolving checkpoint alarms, documenting security incidents, and communicating professionally with travelers from all walks of life. TSA offers competitive federal pay, comprehensive benefits through the Federal Employees Health Benefits program, and a clear career advancement path for high-performing officers. This TSA Operations Specialist position is an investment in your long-term federal career.

Behind every smoothly running security checkpoint at Local Area, US 00000 is a network of operational support professionals who coordinate equipment, scheduling, compliance, and workforce readiness. The TSA Operations Specialist fills this critical role — bridging field-level screening operations and the administrative infrastructure that keeps TSA functioning effectively in US. Specialists at Local Area work closely with the Federal Security Director's office to monitor checkpoint performance metrics, coordinate staffing allocations, manage equipment deployment schedules, and ensure SOP compliance across the facility. This role is ideal for experienced TSOs or operational professionals with strong analytical, organizational, and communication skills who are ready to move beyond the screening lane.
Veterans receive hiring preference points in the TSA federal application process.

Key Responsibilities

  • ✓ Monitoring real-time checkpoint performance data and reporting throughput anomalies to the AFSD Operations at Local Area
  • ✓ Coordinating daily staffing assignments across screening lanes, document check positions, and baggage rooms
  • ✓ Managing screening equipment maintenance schedules and coordinating with TSA technical operations staff
  • ✓ Preparing and distributing shift briefings, SOPs updates, and operational notices to the TSO workforce
  • ✓ Supporting compliance inspections by compiling documentation and facilitating assessments at Local Area
  • ✓ Tracking officer training completions, recertification deadlines, and qualification status across the workforce
  • ✓ Analyzing checkpoint wait time data and recommending lane configuration adjustments during peak hours
  • ✓ Serving as the operational point of contact during special security events and VIP movements at Local Area
  • ✓ Maintaining coordination with airport authority operations centers and airline liaison contacts

Requirements & Qualifications

  • • U.S. citizenship
  • • High school diploma or GED; associate's or bachelor's degree preferred
  • • Minimum two years of TSA screening operations experience or equivalent federal security operations background
  • • Pass Security Threat Assessment, background investigation, and applicable clearance requirements
  • • Strong proficiency with Microsoft Office, data entry systems, and TSA operational platforms
  • • Excellent written and verbal communication skills for workforce and management coordination

Preferred Skills

  • • TSA Supervisory TSO (STSO) experience or equivalent airport operations management background
  • • Familiarity with TSA performance reporting tools and PARIS system administration

❓ Frequently Asked Questions

Yes, all TSA positions are designated as testing-designated positions. Candidates must pass a pre-employment drug screening and are subject to random drug testing throughout their employment.
Yes, the TSA follows federal guidelines for Veteran Preference. Eligible veterans can receive preference points added to their passing assessment scores during the hiring process.
Frontline TSOs perform direct passenger and baggage screening at checkpoint lanes. Coordinators are professional liaisons who coordinate security plans, audit compliance under 49 CFR Part 1542, and manage stakeholder relationships.
Most coordinator, specialist, and supervisory roles require an active or adjudicatable Secret security clearance. Senior specialist roles may require a Top Secret clearance.
Local operations are centered at the regional airport serving Local Area, US 00000. Onboarding, facility orientation, and primary duties are completed directly at this terminal.

Estimated Pay and Benefits

💰
$25.40 — $38.90 per hour
Estimated Hourly Pay Range
💼 Employment Benefits
  • ●
    Federal Health Insurance (FEHB)
    Medical, dental & vision for career employees
  • ●
    Federal Retirement (FERS + TSP)
    Pension + Thrift Savings Plan with gov't match
  • ●
    Paid Leave Accrual
    13 days annual leave/year starting from day one
  • ●
    Union Representation (AFGE)
    American Federation of Government Employees
📋 TSA Onboarding Vetting
  • ✓U.S. Citizenship is required for all federal security positions.
  • ✓Structured interview and multi-agency coordination or leadership assessment required.
  • ✓Comprehensive medical evaluation and drug screening required.
  • ✓Enhanced background investigation and active or adjudicatable Secret security clearance mandatory.
  • ✓Selective Service registration check (for males born after 1959).
  • ✓Prior federal, military, or specialized aviation security experience is highly valued.

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