TSA transportation security officer jobs in Grand Forks pay $48,410 to $59,686 a year on the SV D band, for roles at Grand Forks International Airport. Applications close December 14, 2026, so do not wait for the last day. This guide explains what the job involves, who qualifies, how TSA hiring works, and how to apply through USAJOBS.
Can Pakistanis apply? No. This role requires United States citizenship or United States national status. Pakistani citizens without United States citizenship or national status cannot apply.
TSA hires transportation security officers as entry-level staff, and the posting asks for no prior airport experience. What it does ask for is United States citizenship, a high school diploma or equivalent, and a clean run through the background investigation, drug screening, and medical evaluation. The airport serves Grand Forks and the surrounding Red River Valley, and it sits close to the University of North Dakota.
- Role: Transportation Security Officer, Transportation Security Administration
- Location: Grand Forks, North Dakota (Grand Forks International Airport)
- Pay: $48,410 to $59,686 a year (SV D)
- Closes: December 14, 2026
- Citizenship: United States citizenship or United States national status required
- How to apply: through USAJOBS
By the ixjob.pk editorial team. Last verified November 2, 2026, against the official USAJOBS posting and the TSA careers pages.
This page summarizes the official posting. ixjob.pk is not affiliated with the Transportation Security Administration.
Transportation security officer jobs in Grand Forks at a glance
| Detail | What the posting says |
|---|---|
| Agency | Transportation Security Administration, Department of Homeland Security |
| Airport | Grand Forks International Airport (GFK) |
| Schedule | Part-time; part-time shifts generally run 16 to 32 hours a week |
| Grade | SV D (equivalent to GS 5 to 6) |
| Opened | October 26, 2026 |
| Job type | Permanent, part-time |
| Locality pay | 17.06% |
| Retention incentive | 5% of adjusted pay |
| Security | Background investigation, drug screening, medical evaluation |
| Education | High school diploma or equivalent, or one year of security, aviation screening, or X-ray technician work |
Four terms to know.
- SV D: the TSA pay band for transportation security officers. New hires start at the bottom of the band and move up with certification and experience.
- GS scale: the General Schedule, the federal pay scale. SV D lines up with the GS 5 to 6 grades.
- AFGE: the American Federation of Government Employees, the union that represents this bargaining unit.
- Computer-based test: the TSA exam that checks image interpretation aptitude, and it comes early in the hiring process.
What a transportation security officer actually does
The core of the job is screening. A transportation security officer at Grand Forks International Airport checks passengers, bags, and cargo, and keeps anything dangerous off the aircraft. The work happens face to face with travelers, so the posting pairs security duties with a courteous and professional manner at all times.
Screening equipment does much of the heavy work, and officers run it through every shift. They use X-ray and other screening technology to find dangerous objects in baggage, cargo, and on passengers, and they prevent those objects from moving onto aircraft. When the equipment flags something, officers search bags and property by hand, carry out pat-downs, and lift bags and bins that weigh up to 50 pounds.
Beyond the checkpoint, officers control terminal entry and exit points, and they help passengers who need directions or answers. The posting is direct about the strain: noise from alarms and machinery, crowds, time pressure, and disruptive passengers all feature in a normal day. Officers must keep their focus in that setting, because the work only works when attention never slips.
Thinking on the job matters as much as the equipment. Officers size up each situation, choose the right screening approach, and act fast when a threat appears. That judgment is what TSA transportation security officer jobs in Grand Forks turn on, and the posting calls for continuous development of critical thinking skills.
What does a transportation security officer earn in Grand Forks?
TSA transportation security officer jobs in Grand Forks sit on the SV D band at $48,410 to $59,686 a year, and new hires start at $48,410. The range already includes locality pay of 17.06% for this area, so the figure is the full starting range rather than a base rate. It also includes a retention incentive of 5% of adjusted pay, which is unique to this duty location and depends on annual approval and funding.
Hours shape the paycheck here. This is a part-time post with shifts that generally run 16 to 32 hours a week, and pay is pro-rated on the hours worked at the same hourly rate.
Relocation is not covered. The posting states that no moving, relocation, or pre-employment travel expenses will be paid, so the move to Grand Forks falls on the applicant. Training travel is different: new hires spend at least three weeks, and up to six weeks, in full-time duty status at training away from their home airport, and TSA pays compensable hours and reimburses authorized travel expenses.
Benefits follow the DHS package the posting describes: health, dental, vision, life, and long-term care insurance, a retirement plan, the Thrift Savings Plan, a Flexible Spending Account, an Employee Assistance Program, personal leave days, and paid federal holidays.
Who can apply for TSA transportation security officer jobs in Grand Forks?
TSA transportation security officer jobs in Grand Forks set a short list of hard conditions. Miss one, and the application stops there. Run through each item before you spend time on the rest.
- Be a United States citizen or a United States national, and at least 18 years old at the time of application.
- Have resided within the United States for three of the last five years before applying, unless a posting exception covers you.
- Register for the Selective Service, if that applies to you.
Four more conditions complete the list.
- Pass a structured interview, a drug screening, a medical evaluation, and a background investigation.
- Be proficient in English, in reading, writing, speaking, and comprehending.
- Be available to work various shifts and overtime, as needed.
- Have no delinquent federal or state taxes, and no past-due child support payments.
The posting lists no upper age limit. Applicants must be 18 or older, so the age rule is simple.
The education rule gives two routes in. A high school diploma, a GED, a HiSET, or a TASC equivalency certificate all qualify. So does one year of full-time work in the security industry, aviation screening, or as an X-ray technician.
Physical demands are part of the job. The posting asks officers to squat and bend, lift and move baggage and containers of about 50 pounds again and again, walk up to three miles in a shift, and stand for as long as four hours at a time.
TSA is an excepted service agency, so this job does not carry the competitive status that competitive service jobs carry. The post sits in the bargaining unit for the American Federation of Government Employees (AFGE).
How TSA hiring works, step by step
According to the TSA page on Transportation Security Officers, TSA transportation security officer jobs in Grand Forks follow the same stages. The process takes time, so plan for a slow run and do not count on a quick answer.
- Apply on USAJOBS for this airport’s announcement. A resume is not required for TSO and SSA positions.
- Take the computer-based test, which checks image interpretation aptitude.
- Receive a tentative offer and sign the release forms.
- Complete a panel structured interview.
- Pass a drug screening and a medical evaluation.
- Pass a background investigation, including a criminal history check and a credit check.
- Enter the ready pool, then receive a final job offer based on the airport’s hiring needs.
Two practical points follow from those steps. First, the announcement can close early if enough applications arrive, so apply before the closing date rather than on it. Second, training comes after the offer: new hires travel for three to six weeks of New Hire training away from their home airport.
Who should apply and who should wait
TSA transportation security officer jobs in Grand Forks fit applicants who meet every hard condition without a stretch. That means United States citizenship, a diploma or the matching year of experience, and a record that clears the background investigation and the credit check. It also means comfort with shift work that covers nights, weekends, and holidays.
Wait when a hard condition fails. Non-citizens cannot apply, and the three-of-five-years residency rule also stops applications that miss it, unless a posting exception applies. Waiting also makes sense when the drug screening, the medical evaluation, or the physical demands look like a problem.
Think twice if the pay alone draws you in. The starting rate is solid federal pay, but the job asks for long hours on your feet, heavy lifting, and calm dealing with stressed travelers. A reader who wants steady federal work and can handle the pace will accept those trade-offs more easily than a reader who wants only the paycheck.
Mistakes that cost applicants the role
The costliest error is a late application. TSA may close the announcement before the published closing date once it has enough applications, so the closing date is a deadline, not a target. Apply as soon as you are ready, and keep the confirmation email.
A second error is picking the wrong airport. Each announcement covers one airport only, so an application for Grand Forks will not move you to another airport. Apply to the announcement for the airport where you can actually work.
A third error is skipping the residency check. The posting requires residence in the United States for three of the last five years, and the exceptions are narrow. A fourth error is treating the structured interview as the end of the process, when the drug screening, medical evaluation, and background investigation still sit after it.
Watch out for fake TSA job offers
Apply for TSA transportation security officer jobs in Grand Forks only through USAJOBS and the official TSA careers page. No recruiter can sell you a place in the hiring process.
The FTC job scams guide states that it is always free to apply for a federal job. Any message that asks for money, bank details, or gift cards in exchange for a TSA job is a scam. Check any unexpected job message against the official site before you reply.
Fake federal job offers are a known pattern. The United States Federal Trade Commission keeps a plain-language guide to spotting them. Read the FTC guide to job scams before you answer any recruiter who contacts you first. If an offer asks you to pay, share banking details, or move fast, walk away and report it.
Frequently asked questions
How much does a transportation security officer make in Grand Forks?
TSA transportation security officer jobs in Grand Forks pay $48,410 to $59,686 a year on the SV D band, starting at $48,410 a year. The range includes locality pay of 17.06% and a retention incentive of 5% of adjusted pay.
What do you need to become a transportation security officer?
You need United States citizenship or United States national status, age 18 or older, and a high school diploma or equivalent, or one year of full-time work in security, aviation screening, or as an X-ray technician. You must also pass a structured interview, a drug screening, a medical evaluation, and a background investigation.
How long does TSA hiring take?
TSA gives no fixed timeline for hiring. The steps are an application on USAJOBS, a computer-based test, a tentative offer, a structured interview, drug screening and a medical evaluation, a background investigation, and then the ready pool and a final job offer.
Do transportation security officers work nights and weekends?
Yes. Shifts can fall on any day from Sunday through Saturday, and they can include nights, holidays, overtime, extended shifts, and split shifts. Part-time shifts generally run 16 to 32 hours a week, while full-time posts run 40 hours a week.
Can non-United States citizens apply for TSA transportation security officer jobs?
No. United States citizenship or United States national status is required. Non-citizens cannot apply for this role, even if they meet every other requirement.
What is the SV D pay band?
SV D is the TSA pay band for transportation security officers, and it lines up with the GS 5 to 6 grades on the General Schedule. Pay in the band rises with certification and experience, and the posted range for Grand Forks runs $48,410 to $59,686 a year.
Sources
Pay, dates, duties, and requirements for TSA transportation security officer jobs in Grand Forks above come from the official posting and the TSA careers pages linked here.
- TSA Transportation Security Officers page: how to apply on USAJOBS and the steps in TSA hiring.
- USAJOBS Transportation Security Officer announcement: duties, conditions of employment, and SV D qualifications.
- FTC Job Scams guide: how to spot fake federal job offers.
Related jobs: job search websites, International Jobs.