The Transportation Security Administration (TSA) is part of the Department of Homeland Security, a department whose work covers counterterrorism, border security, immigration enforcement, cybersecurity and disaster response. TSA handles the transportation side of that work.
Much of the agency's workforce is based at airports, where staff screen passengers, carry-on bags and checked luggage before flights. TSA also sets and enforces security rules for other modes of transportation, including passenger and freight rail, mass transit and pipelines.
Common jobs include Transportation Security Officers at airport checkpoints, transportation security inspectors, canine handlers, explosives specialists and federal air marshals, who work aboard aircraft. The agency also fills roles in intelligence, law enforcement, information technology, training, human resources and administration. Positions are spread across airports and other transportation hubs around the country, with headquarters and policy work in the Washington, D.C. area.