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Transportation Security Screeners

$47.71K Median Salary 4.5K Job Openings (Annual Projection) 0.2% Job Growth

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About This Career

Conduct 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.

Reported Job Titles

Security Screener, Transportation Security Officer (TSO)

Career data shown for:

Skills You'll Need

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Abilities

Problem Sensitivity

Selective Attention

Deductive Reasoning

Flexibility of Closure

Inductive Reasoning

Oral Comprehension

Oral Expression

Near Vision

Speech Clarity

Speech Recognition

Information Ordering

Perceptual Speed

Category Flexibility

Far Vision

Written Comprehension

Finger Dexterity

Manual Dexterity

Multilimb Coordination

Knowledge

Public Safety and Security

Customer and Personal Service

English Language

Skills

Monitoring

Speaking

Active Listening

Coordination

Critical Thinking

Social Perceptiveness

Judgment and Decision Making

Persuasion

Reading Comprehension

Service Orientation

Technology Skills

Spreadsheet software

Cloud-based data access and sharing software

Electronic mail software

Human resources software

Computer based training software

Office suite software

Operating system software

Word processing software

Object or component oriented development software

Internet browser software

Tools

X ray radiography examination equipment

Two way radios

Metal detectors

Weapon or explosives detectors and supplies

Notebook computers

Magnetic particle examination equipment

Ultrasonic examination equipment

Loupes

Chemical test strips or papers

Ultraviolet UV lamps

Desktop computers

Special purpose telephones

Personal computers

Abilities

Problem Sensitivity: The ability to tell when something is wrong or is likely to go wrong. It does not involve solving the problem, only recognizing that there is a problem.
Selective Attention: The ability to concentrate on a task over a period of time without being distracted.
Deductive Reasoning: The ability to apply general rules to specific problems to produce answers that make sense.
Flexibility of Closure: The ability to identify or detect a known pattern (a figure, object, word, or sound) that is hidden in other distracting material.
Inductive Reasoning: The ability to combine pieces of information to form general rules or conclusions (includes finding a relationship among seemingly unrelated events).
Oral Comprehension: The ability to listen to and understand information and ideas presented through spoken words and sentences.
Oral Expression: The ability to communicate information and ideas in speaking so others will understand.
Near Vision: The ability to see details at close range (within a few feet of the observer).
Speech Clarity: The ability to speak clearly so others can understand you.
Speech Recognition: The ability to identify and understand the speech of another person.
Information Ordering: The ability to arrange things or actions in a certain order or pattern according to a specific rule or set of rules (e.g., patterns of numbers, letters, words, pictures, mathematical operations).
Perceptual Speed: The ability to quickly and accurately compare similarities and differences among sets of letters, numbers, objects, pictures, or patterns. The things to be compared may be presented at the same time or one after the other. This ability also includes comparing a presented object with a remembered object.
Category Flexibility: The ability to generate or use different sets of rules for combining or grouping things in different ways.
Far Vision: The ability to see details at a distance.
Written Comprehension: The ability to read and understand information and ideas presented in writing.
Finger Dexterity: The ability to make precisely coordinated movements of the fingers of one or both hands to grasp, manipulate, or assemble very small objects.
Manual Dexterity: The ability to quickly move your hand, your hand together with your arm, or your two hands to grasp, manipulate, or assemble objects.
Multilimb Coordination: The ability to coordinate two or more limbs (for example, two arms, two legs, or one leg and one arm) while sitting, standing, or lying down. It does not involve performing the activities while the whole body is in motion.

Knowledge

Public Safety and Security: Knowledge of relevant equipment, policies, procedures, and strategies to promote effective local, state, or national security operations for the protection of people, data, property, and institutions.
Customer and Personal Service: Knowledge of principles and processes for providing customer and personal services. This includes customer needs assessment, meeting quality standards for services, and evaluation of customer satisfaction.
English Language: Knowledge of the structure and content of the English language including the meaning and spelling of words, rules of composition, and grammar.

Skills

Monitoring: Monitoring/Assessing performance of yourself, other individuals, or organizations to make improvements or take corrective action.
Speaking: Talking to others to convey information effectively.
Active Listening: Giving full attention to what other people are saying, taking time to understand the points being made, asking questions as appropriate, and not interrupting at inappropriate times.
Coordination: Adjusting actions in relation to others' actions.
Critical Thinking: Using logic and reasoning to identify the strengths and weaknesses of alternative solutions, conclusions, or approaches to problems.
Social Perceptiveness: Being aware of others' reactions and understanding why they react as they do.
Judgment and Decision Making: Considering the relative costs and benefits of potential actions to choose the most appropriate one.
Persuasion: Persuading others to change their minds or behavior.
Reading Comprehension: Understanding written sentences and paragraphs in work-related documents.
Service Orientation: Actively looking for ways to help people.

Technology Skills

Spreadsheet software: Microsoft Excel
Cloud-based data access and sharing software: Dropbox; Google Drive; Microsoft SharePoint
Electronic mail software: IBM Notes; Microsoft Exchange; Microsoft Outlook
Human resources software: ADP Workforce Now
Computer based training software: BrainTrain IVA+Plus; Language arts educational software; Math educational software
Office suite software: Microsoft Office software
Operating system software: Microsoft Windows
Word processing software: 3M Post-it App; Evernote; Google Docs; Microsoft Word
Object or component oriented development software: Oracle Java
Internet browser software: Web browser software

Tools

X ray radiography examination equipment: Radiographic flaw detectors
Two way radios:
Metal detectors: Rebar locators
Weapon or explosives detectors and supplies: Explosive detection systems; Explosive trace portals
Notebook computers: Laptop computers
Magnetic particle examination equipment: Magnetic particle inspectors
Ultrasonic examination equipment: Impact resonance devices; Sonic devices
Loupes: Jewelers' loupes
Chemical test strips or papers: Chemical detection testing kits
Ultraviolet UV lamps: Inspection lamps
Desktop computers:
Special purpose telephones: Multi-line telephone systems
Personal computers:

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