About This Career

Conducts screening of passengers, baggage, or cargo to ensure compliance with Transportation Security Administration (TSA) regulations. May operate basic security equipment such as x-ray machines and hand wands at screening checkpoints.

This career is part of the Government and Public Administration cluster National Security pathway.

A person in this career:

• Inspects carry-on items, using x-ray viewing equipment, to determine whether items contain objects that warrant further investigation.
• Searches carry-on or checked baggage by hand when it is suspected to contain prohibited items such as weapons.
• Checks passengers' tickets to ensure that they are valid, and to determine whether passengers have designations that require special handling, such as providing photo identification.
• Tests baggage for any explosive materials, using equipment such as explosive detection machines or chemical swab systems.
• Performs pat-down or hand-held wand searches of passengers who have triggered machine alarms, who are unable to pass through metal detectors, or who have been randomly identified for such searches.
• Notifies supervisors or other appropriate personnel when security breaches occur.
• Sends checked baggage through automated screening machines, and sets bags aside for searching or rescreening as indicated by equipment.
• Decides whether baggage that triggers alarms should be searched or should be allowed to pass through.
• Follows those who breach security until police or other security personnel arrive to apprehend them.
• Informs other screeners when baggage should not be opened because it might contain explosives.

Working Conditions and Physical Demands

People who do this job report that:

• You would often handle loads up to 20 lbs., sometimes up to 50 lbs. You might do a lot of lifting, carrying, pushing or pulling.
• Work in this occupation involves use of protective items such as safety shoes, glasses, gloves, hearing protection, a hard hat, or personal flotation devices
• Exposure to pollutants, gases, dust, fumes, odors, poor ventilation, etc.
• Work in this occupation involves using your hands to hold, control, and feel objects more than one-third of the time
• Work in this occupation requires being inside most of the time
• Sound and noise levels are loud and distracting
• Exposed to radiation more than once a month
• Work in this occupation involves making repetitive motions more than one-third of the time
• Work in this occupation involves standing more than one-third of the time

Working in this career involves (physical activities):

• Seeing clearly at a distance
• Seeing clearly up close
• Speaking clearly enough to be able to be understood by others
• Identifying and understanding the speech of another person

Work Hours and Travel

• Rotating shift work
• Weekend work