TSA Coordination Center Officer: 0086 Duties, Shifts and Qualifications
A TSA Coordination Center Officer supports the flow of authorized operational information between airport security personnel, TSA leadership, law enforcement and other approved partners.
The position is commonly classified in federal occupational series 0086, Security Clerical and Assistance. TSA publicly lists Coordination Center Officer and Supervisory Coordination Center Officer among its Mission Support security-assistance careers.
This is an operational support position. It does not automatically confer arrest authority, firearms authority or the status of a criminal investigator, intelligence analyst or police dispatcher.
This guide intentionally stays at a public career-information level. It does not describe protected notification thresholds, communication channels, security procedures or incident-response protocols.
Coordination Center Officer at a Glance
| Topic | General current information |
|---|---|
| Common series | 0086 Security Clerical and Assistance |
| Career family | Mission Support security assistance |
| Main purpose | Receive, document and coordinate authorized operational information |
| Work setting | Airport or regional coordination center |
| Shift work | Commonly possible |
| Nights, weekends and holidays | Possible |
| Federal resume | Required |
| Universal TSA exam | No public universal examination |
| Background process | Required |
| Clearance or sensitivity | Position specific |
| Drug testing | Position specific |
| Remote work | Generally unsuitable for core duties |
| Law-enforcement authority | No |
What the Role Supports
A Coordination Center Officer can support:
- airport security operations;
- incident communication;
- operational continuity;
- leadership awareness;
- coordination with authorized partners;
- emergency-support activities;
- official logging and documentation;
- information routing;
- status tracking; and
- protection of sensitive information.
The work helps ensure that the correct officials receive accurate, timely information. The officer does not independently direct every operational response.
Typical Public-Level Duties
Duties can include:
- receiving telephone or electronic notifications;
- obtaining essential facts from authorized personnel;
- documenting reported events;
- maintaining operational logs;
- monitoring approved communication systems;
- routing information to responsible officials;
- coordinating with airport, law-enforcement or emergency partners;
- tracking open actions;
- updating leadership when authorized;
- maintaining contact rosters and reference material;
- supporting continuity during disruptions;
- preparing summaries or reports; and
- safeguarding Sensitive Security Information and other protected data.
The exact procedures, systems, thresholds and distribution lists are controlled internally and are not appropriate for public disclosure.
What the Role Is Not
Not a law-enforcement officer
The position does not automatically include:
- arrest authority;
- criminal investigative authority;
- firearms authority;
- police powers; or
- Federal Air Marshal duties.
Not automatically a police dispatcher
Some skills overlap with dispatch or emergency communication, but the organization, authority, systems and mission differ.
A public-safety dispatcher may directly assign emergency resources under local procedures. A TSA Coordination Center Officer supports TSA operational coordination within delegated responsibilities.
Not an intelligence analyst
The officer can receive and route security-related information, but Intelligence Analysts perform a separate analytical occupation involving intelligence production, assessment and dissemination under different qualification and clearance requirements.
Not a TSO checkpoint position
A TSO performs passenger or baggage screening. A Coordination Center Officer works primarily in an operations-center environment and supports communication and documentation.
Work Environment
Coordination centers can operate around transportation schedules and security needs.
Working conditions can include:
- extended screen time;
- multiple communication channels;
- frequent interruptions;
- time-sensitive documentation;
- competing priorities;
- exposure to reports of serious incidents;
- limited public contact;
- secure work areas;
- fixed shift coverage; and
- strict access controls.
Core duties generally require onsite presence because they involve protected systems, real-time coordination and secure information.
Schedule
The vacancy can require:
- early mornings;
- evenings;
- overnight shifts;
- weekends;
- federal holidays;
- rotating schedules;
- overtime;
- emergency call-back; and
- changes in assignment during major disruptions.
Do not assume that an office-based role follows a Monday-through-Friday daytime schedule.
Qualifications
Relevant specialized experience can include:
- operations-center support;
- security assistance;
- emergency communications;
- dispatch-adjacent administrative work;
- incident documentation;
- monitoring authorized systems;
- maintaining logs;
- coordinating information across organizations;
- customer or stakeholder communication;
- records management;
- shift operations; and
- handling protected information.
The announcement defines the level of independence and equivalent experience required.
Skills That Matter
Strong candidates demonstrate:
- accurate listening;
- concise written communication;
- calm judgment;
- attention to detail;
- prioritization;
- professional telephone communication;
- information verification;
- correct escalation;
- recordkeeping;
- teamwork;
- discretion;
- basic operational awareness; and
- ability to remain effective during disruptions.
Speed without accuracy is not enough. A fast but incorrect log entry or notification can create confusion.
Federal Resume Evidence
Include:
- type of operations or communication center;
- systems used at a non-sensitive level;
- communication volume;
- types of records maintained;
- organizations coordinated;
- shift conditions;
- level of independence;
- incidents documented without protected detail;
- reports prepared;
- quality or timeliness improvements;
- dates;
- hours worked per week; and
- measurable outcomes.
Useful evidence can include:
- maintained accurate logs during a high-volume shift;
- improved an action-tracking process;
- reduced incomplete incident reports;
- coordinated information across several organizations;
- trained staff on documentation standards;
- supported continuity during a disruption; or
- identified and corrected inconsistent contact information.
Do not include:
- secure phone numbers;
- notification thresholds;
- response timelines not publicly released;
- protected system names or configurations;
- law-enforcement tactics;
- facility vulnerabilities;
- Sensitive Security Information; or
- personal information about passengers, applicants or employees.
Interview Preparation
Prepare examples involving:
- incomplete information during a time-sensitive event;
- several simultaneous notifications;
- an inaccurate log entry;
- a caller who was difficult to understand;
- conflicting reports;
- a shift handoff;
- a sensitive document;
- a system or communication disruption;
- a situation requiring supervisor escalation; and
- an error you identified and corrected.
A strong answer explains:
- what information was available;
- what needed verification;
- how priorities were established;
- how the event was documented;
- how authorized officials were involved;
- how sensitive information was protected; and
- what result followed.
Avoid revealing protected operational procedures when answering.
Coordination Center Officer Versus Supervisory CCO
A Supervisory Coordination Center Officer can be responsible for:
- assigning work;
- reviewing logs and reports;
- monitoring quality;
- coaching employees;
- handling performance and attendance issues;
- coordinating shift coverage;
- resolving escalated problems; and
- communicating with management.
Promotion is competitive and depends on supervisory qualifications, performance and vacancies.
Background, Clearance and Drug Testing
All federal hiring involves identity and suitability review appropriate to the position.
A Coordination Center Officer announcement can also specify:
- security-clearance eligibility;
- sensitivity or risk designation;
- drug testing;
- fingerprinting;
- access requirements; and
- continued eligibility conditions.
Do not assume that every 0086 position carries the same clearance or testing requirement.
Pay and Career Development
Pay depends on:
- TSA band;
- locality;
- duty station;
- shift assignment;
- premium-pay eligibility;
- experience;
- supervisory responsibility; and
- the final offer.
Possible progression includes:
- Coordination Center Officer;
- senior or lead operational-support duties;
- Supervisory Coordination Center Officer;
- administrative or program coordination;
- emergency-management support;
- security operations support;
- intelligence-support roles after meeting separate qualifications; and
- other Mission Support careers.
No progression is automatic.
Common Application Mistakes
Applicants often:
- describe the role as law enforcement;
- confuse it with intelligence analysis;
- reveal protected operational details;
- omit shift-work experience;
- provide no documentation examples;
- list systems without explaining the work performed;
- fail to show calm judgment;
- assume office work means remote work;
- copy the vacancy;
- omit hours worked per week;
- use the TSO no-resume process; or
- assume every 0086 position has the same clearance.
Frequently Asked Questions
What series is TSA Coordination Center Officer?
Commonly 0086, Security Clerical and Assistance.
Is it a law-enforcement position?
No. The role supports operational coordination and does not automatically confer law-enforcement authority.
Is it the same as intelligence analysis?
No. Intelligence Analyst is a separate occupation.
Are overnight and weekend shifts possible?
Yes, depending on the center’s operating requirements.
Is there a standard TSA test?
No universal public examination is identified. Follow the announcement.
Can the role be remote?
Core duties are generally onsite because of real-time operations and protected systems.
Exploring Mission Support roles?
Use the Mission Support careers hub to compare series and education requirements. When a vacancy opens, apply through the TSA application guide and track progress with the application status guide. Many candidates start as TSOs — review the TSA test-prep hub and optional JobTestPrep TSA PrepPack.