How to Apply for a TSA Job

The Transportation Security Administration, or TSA, is a United States federal organization that focuses on airline safety and security. Though most people associate the TSA exclusively with pre-flight screenings, the organization offers a variety of different jobs ranging from administration to law enforcement.

Part 1
Part 1 of 3:

Choosing a Career Field

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    Apply for a security officer position if you want to work with people. Transportation Security Officers are the government employees most people associate with the TSA. As a security officer, you'll screen airport passengers and their cargo to ensure that no dangerous items or suspicious characters make it into the airport proper.[1]
  2. Image titled Apply for a TSA Job Step 2
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    Look for a professional position if you prefer office work. The TSA offers a number of different jobs focused on administrative, managerial, and professional work. These positions focus on the organization's daily operations around the country, as well as in their national headquarters at Arlington, Virginia. If you have professional or administrative work experience, try applying for a TSA job in 1 of the following fields:[2]
    • Engineering
    • Finance
    • Human resources
    • Information technology
    • Law
    • Medicine
    • Writing
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  3. Image titled Apply for a TSA Job Step 3
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    Get an air marshal service position if you're interested in law enforcement. The TSA hires their own law enforcement officers known as federal air marshals. As a marshal, you'll enforce airport security rules and ensure the safety of airline passengers by dealing with any and all hostile threats that come your way.[3]
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Part 2
Part 2 of 3:

Submitting a Job Application

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    Find a job opening on the USA Jobs official website. To see if there are any job openings in your area, first visit the USA Jobs homepage at https://www.usajobs.gov/. Then, type “TSA” into the page's keyword search box and put your city, state, country, or zip code into the location search box. Click the “Search” button, then browse any job listings that come up.[4]
  2. Image titled Apply for a TSA Job Step 5
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    Pick a job and start the online application process. When looking through the open positions, make sure you check each jobs' minimum requirements, official duties and responsibilities, travel requirements, benefits, starting salary, and pay scale. Once you find a job you like, click the “Apply” button located near the top of the job page.[5]
    • If you don't already have one, you'll need to create a USA Jobs account to start the application process.
    • Some jobs are only available to current federal employees, veterans, military spouses, and individuals with disabilities.
  3. Image titled Apply for a TSA Job Step 6
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    Create a resume and attach it to your application. Just like a standard work resume, your government resume should include information relevant to the job you're applying for. This includes your level of education, previous work or volunteer experience, and any prior training you received.[6]
    • Government agencies receive tons of applications every day, so put the most relevant information at the top of your resume's opening page to make sure it gets seen.
    • When listing work experience, include the position title, start and end dates, hours worked each week, yearly salary, and any specific things you accomplished relevant to the job you're applying for.
  4. Image titled Apply for a TSA Job Step 7
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    Complete and attach any additional required forms. Depending on the position you're applying for, you may need to fill out some additional paperwork before submitting your application. The most common forms are the:[7]
    • SF-50, a Notification of Personnel Action that all current and previous federal employees have to fill out.
    • OP-306, a Declaration for Federal Employment that determines your eligibility for federal contract work and government life insurance.
    • DD-214, a Certificate of Release or Discharge from Active Duty that veteran applicants may need to provide.
    • SF-15, an Application for 10-point Veterans' Preference that former military members must submit to receive priority during the job selection process.
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    Attach a cover letter if you wish. Though not required, a good cover letter may be the thing that separates you from the rest of the pack. For government jobs, keep your cover letter around 3 paragraphs long and include the information from your resume most relevant to the position you're applying for.[8]
    • Make sure to personalize your cover letter by including a sentence or 2 about why you want the position and what you can bring to the TSA.
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    Submit your application. Double-check that you've provided everything requested by the USA Jobs official website, then submit your application. Within a few hours, you'll get an e-mail notification stating that the TSA received your application.[9]
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Part 3
Part 3 of 3:

Getting through the Screening Process

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    Register for the TSA Candidate Dashboard. After submitting your application, keep an eye out for an e-mail from the TSA. This e-mail will provide detailed instructions on how to register for the TSA Candidate Dashboard, the online portal you'll use to monitor your application status.[10]
  2. Image titled Apply for a TSA Job Step 11
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    Take a CBT if necessary. For some positions, you may need to complete a Computer Based Test to prove your overall competence. This exam takes about 2 ½ hours to finish and consists of an English Competency Test and an Image Interpretation Test. To take the exam, you'll need to schedule an appointment with an authorized testing center.[11]
    • The CBT is mandatory for all Transportation Security Officer applicants.
  3. Image titled Apply for a TSA Job Step 12
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    Complete any job-specific paperwork. Depending on the position you applied for, the TSA may ask you to fill out and submit some additional paperwork. Typically, this consists of the SF-86 Questionnaire for National Security Positions and any authorization forms necessary for the TSA to run a background check on you.[12]
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    Schedule and attend a job interview or airport assessment. Once the TSA looks over and approves all your previous paperwork, they may contact you requesting a standard job interview or an official airport assessment. Airport assessments normally consist of a:[13]
    • Structured job interview
    • Color vision test
    • Fingerprinting session
  5. Image titled Apply for a TSA Job Step 14
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    Pass a medical evaluation, drug test, and background check. During or after the interview, you'll receive information on how to complete the mandatory government drug test and, if necessary, a medical evaluation. The TSA completes the background check on their own. These general evaluations are the final hurdles between you and your career with the TSA.[14]
  6. Image titled Apply for a TSA Job Step 15
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    Accept the job offer. Once everything's been approved, the only thing left to do is wait for an official job offer. This will come from the specific airport you applied to and should arrive shortly after you receive your employment clearance.[15]
    • Even if the airport decides not to hire you, your TSA approval will remain valid for a full year.
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References

  1. ↑ https://www.tsa.gov/about/jobs-at-tsa/transportation-security-officer
  2. ↑ https://www.tsa.gov/about/jobs-at-tsa/management-administrative-and-professional-series
  3. ↑ https://www.tsa.gov/about/jobs-at-tsa/federal-air-marshal-service-and-law-enforcement.
  4. ↑ https://www.usajobs.gov/Help/faq/application/process/
  5. ↑ https://www.usajobs.gov/Help/how-to/application/
  6. ↑ https://www.usajobs.gov/Help/faq/application/documents/resume/what-to-include/
  7. ↑ https://www.usajobs.gov/Help/faq/application/documents/
  8. ↑ https://www.govloop.com/tailor-your-cover-letter-to-a-government-job/
  9. ↑ https://www.usajobs.gov/Help/how-to/application/
  1. ↑ https://www.usajobs.gov/Help/faq/application/process/
  2. ↑ http://www.realisticjobpreview.net/rjp/hiring_process.htm
  3. ↑ http://www.realisticjobpreview.net/rjp/hiring_process.htm
  4. ↑ https://www.usajobs.gov/Help/faq/application/process/
  5. ↑ http://www.realisticjobpreview.net/rjp/hiring_process.htm
  6. ↑ https://tsajobs.tsa.dhs.gov/CandidateDashboard/Documents/Candidate_Dashboard_Reference_Guide_for_MAP_Positions.pdf

About This Article

wikiHow Staff
Co-authored by:
wikiHow Staff
wikiHow Staff Writer
This article was co-authored by wikiHow Staff. Our trained team of editors and researchers validate articles for accuracy and comprehensiveness. wikiHow's Content Management Team carefully monitors the work from our editorial staff to ensure that each article is backed by trusted research and meets our high quality standards. This article has been viewed 18,607 times.
19 votes - 91%
Co-authors: 5
Updated: September 6, 2019
Views: 18,607
Categories: Careers in Government
Article SummaryX

To apply for a TSA job, first visit the USA Jobs official website and search for a position you’re interested in. When you find one, click the “Apply” button to start the application process. No matter which job you apply for, you’ll need to provide a resume listing information relevant to the position. For some jobs, you may also need to fill out eligibility forms like the SF-50. Once you’ve uploaded all the required paperwork, submit your application to the TSA. To learn about the TSA job screening process, scroll down!

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