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How much do airborne security jobs pay per hour?

As of Jul 16, 2026, the average hourly pay for airborne security in the United States is $16.90, according to ZipRecruiter salary data. Most workers in this role earn between $16.35 and $17.55 per hour, depending on experience, location, and employer.

What are airborne security personnel?

Airborne security personnel, often referred to as air marshals or in-flight security officers, are specially trained individuals responsible for ensuring the safety and security of passengers and crew on commercial flights. Their main duties include preventing and responding to potential threats such as hijackings, terrorism, or other criminal activities during flights. They work undercover, blending in with passengers while remaining vigilant for suspicious behavior. Airborne security personnel are trained in crisis management, self-defense, and firearm use, and collaborate closely with airline staff to maintain a secure environment in the skies.

What is the difference between Airborne Security vs Security Guard?

AspectAirborne SecuritySecurity Guard
CertificationsSecurity license, specialized training in aerial securitySecurity license, basic security training
Work EnvironmentAirports, airfields, or aerial security settingsBuildings, events, or premises security
Employer & IndustrySecurity firms, transportation, aviation industryVarious industries including retail, corporate, events

Airborne Security professionals focus on security in aerial environments, requiring specialized training and certifications, while Security Guards typically work on ground-level premises with standard security training. Both roles are essential in the security industry but differ mainly in work environment and specific skill requirements.

What are the key skills and qualifications needed to thrive as an Airborne Security Officer, and why are they important?

To thrive as an Airborne Security Officer, you need a background in law enforcement or military service, strong situational awareness, and relevant security certifications. Familiarity with aviation security protocols, surveillance equipment, and communication systems is typically required. Excellent judgment, calmness under pressure, and strong interpersonal skills help you handle emergencies and interact with passengers and crew. These skills and qualities are crucial for maintaining safety, preventing threats, and ensuring compliance with aviation regulations during flights.

What are the main challenges faced by Airborne Security professionals during in-flight operations?

Airborne Security professionals often face the challenge of maintaining vigilance in a confined and dynamic environment while balancing customer service with security protocols. They must be prepared to quickly assess and respond to potential threats, including disruptive passengers or suspicious behavior, all while working discreetly to avoid alarming travelers. Collaboration with flight crew and other security personnel is critical, requiring excellent communication skills and the ability to make rapid decisions under pressure. Additionally, adapting to irregular schedules and varied flight routes is a common aspect of the role.
More about Airborne Security jobs
What job categories do people searching Airborne Security jobs look for? The top searched job categories for Airborne Security jobs are:
Infographic showing various Airborne Security job openings in the United States as of July 2026, with employment types broken down into 1% As Needed, 83% Full Time, 13% Part Time, 1% Temporary, 1% Contract, and 1% Nights. Highlights an 99% Physical, and 1% Remote job distribution, with an average salary of $35,147 per year, or $16.9 per hour.

Airborne Sensor Operator Manager

Metrea Management LLC

Tampa, FL • On-site

Full-time

Medical, Dental, Vision, Life, Retirement, PTO

Re-posted 28 days ago

Job description

Company Overview

Metrea delivers effects-as-a-service to national security partners across five domains and more than a dozen mission areas-including airborne Intelligence, Surveillance, and Reconnaissance (ISR), electronic warfare, secure communications, aerial refueling, special mission aviation, aerial firefighting, and advanced simulation. Wherever we operate, we build vertically integrated full stacks of capability-designing, building, and operating turnkey solutions that let customers scale capacity while benefiting from continuous cycles of innovation. With operators and engineers under one roof, we close the gap between lab and field-what we call connecting design with effect.

Metrea's solutions are built for elegance: effective, efficient, and evolving. This approach enables our partners to do more with less and achieve outsized, asymmetric advantage against rapidly evolving threats.

Headquartered in Washington, DC, Metrea has facilities across the United States, the United Kingdom, Europe, and beyond.

This role sits within the Special Air Missions Group - US.

Special Air Missions Group - US (SAM - US) is responsible for developing and delivering Metrea's ISR, Special Mobility, and Aerial Firefighting (AFF) capabilities. SAM oversees the integra-tion of new mission systems, ensuring operational readiness across specialized aviation opera-tions. It manages fleet maintenance, regulatory compliance, and strategic partnerships to en-hance mission effectiveness. By consolidating expertise and infrastructure, SAM - US ensures Metrea's airborne capabilities remain adaptable and mission-ready across dynamic opera-tional environments.

Position Summary

The Airborne Sensor Operations (ASO) Manager serves as the authority for airborne sensor operations, training, and workforce management across all operating locations. Reporting to the Head of Flight Operations, this role is central to enabling compliant, safe, reliable, effective, effi-cient, and evolvable flight operations by ensuring the effective integration, standardization, and performance of ASO personnel and sensor systems in support of Intelligence, Surveillance, and Reconnaissance (ISR) operations on King Air and Challenger platforms.

The ASO Manager provides functional leadership across all deployed sites through Lead ASOs and is responsible for establishing and maintaining the systems, standards, and processes that govern ASO operations, training, and readiness. This role owns the ASO training and standardization program, including qualification and evaluation processes, and ensures operators are tactically proficient, operationally ready, and aligned with mission requirements. This role also owns the lifecycle of ASO capability development, integration, and execution across the enterprise.

This is a CONUS-based leadership role that requires maintaining ASO qualification and deploy-ing periodically to operating locations to conduct missions, perform standardization checks, and reinforce operational consistency across the enterprise.

What You'll Do

  • Serve as the subject matter expert for airborne sensor systems, radios, and mission equipment, and establish the standards that enable compliant, safe, reliable, effective, efficient, and evolvable (CSRE3) sensor operations across all locations.
  • Define, implement, and evaluate performance standards for sensor operations, ensuring consistent execution across all phases of ground and flight operations on King Air and Challenger platforms.
  • Provide operational and technical guidance to ASOs in accordance with company procedures, mission partner requirements, and Tactics, Techniques, and Procedures (TTP), ensuring compliance with applicable program, regulatory, and company requirements.
  • Own the ASO training and standardization program, including development and maintenance of initial and recurrent training curricula, simulator and computer-based instruction, and evaluation standards.
  • Approve ASO qualifications, upgrades, and proficiency, and oversee a cadre of Standardization ASOs responsible for training and evaluations across all sites.
  • Maintain standardized training records and report training status, ensuring a consistent and deployable level of proficiency across the ASO workforce.
  • Provide functional leadership of ASOs across all operating locations through Lead ASOs, establishing expectations for performance, professionalism, and operational readiness.
  • Lead workforce planning, staffing, and strategic and operational-level scheduling to ensure the availability and effective utilization of qualified ASOs across all locations.
  • Serve as the hiring manager for ASO personnel, including developing selection criteria, con-ducting interviews, and selecting candidates, and provide ongoing performance feedback and professional development through Lead ASOs.
  • Serve as the primary interface between ASOs and Flight Operations, Maintenance, Site Leadership, and File Management to ensure alignment of sensor operations with mission and air-craft requirements.
  • Establish and maintain Standard Operating Procedures (SOP), checklists, and processes across all locations, ensuring alignment with system configurations and operational requirements.
  • Lead developmental and operational test and evaluation (DT&E/OT&E) of emerging and up-dated mission systems and sensor capabilities, including assessment of system performance, usability, and mission effectiveness.
  • Drive human-system integration by evaluating and refining how sensor systems are employed within the aircraft, optimizing operator interface, workflow, and crew coordination.
  • Develop, validate, and refine Tactics, Techniques, and Procedures (TTP) through iterative testing and operational feedback, and ensure effective transition of new capabilities into training and field operations.
  • Evaluate system updates and modifications, assess operational impact, and provide feedback to Engineering and Program Management to support system performance and continuous improvement.
  • Identify emerging technologies and trends in airborne sensor systems to inform long-term capability development and investment decisions.
  • Deploy to operating locations to conduct missions, perform standardization evaluations, and reinforce operational consistency across the enterprise.

What You'll Bring

  • Bachelor's degree or equivalent professional experience, with demonstrated ability to think critically, communicate clearly in writing, and translate complex operational concepts into ac-tionable guidance.
  • 6+ years of Airborne Sensor Operator experience in ISR operations.
  • Experience leading teams, programs, or functional areas in an operational environment.
  • Experience developing and executing structured training and standardization programs.
  • Demonstrated ability to evaluate and certify operator performance.
  • Strong understanding of ISR operations, including sensor employment, mission execution, and crew integration.
  • Experience supporting operational test, evaluation, or development of TTP for sensor systems.
  • Demonstrated ability to lead and influence personnel across multiple locations through indirect leadership.
  • Experience working with integrated sensor systems, mission systems, and airborne commu-nication equipment.
  • Strong organizational and problem-solving skills, with the ability to manage multiple priorities in a dynamic environment.
  • Experience supporting or leading developmental test and evaluation (DT&E) and/or operational test and evaluation (OT&E) of airborne sensor or mission systems.
  • Demonstrated ability to translate new system capabilities into operational employment con-cepts, including development of Tactics, Techniques, and Procedures (TTP).
  • Experience integrating mission systems from an operator perspective, including human-ma-chine interface, workflow optimization, and crew coordination.
  • Ability to assess system performance, identify limitations, and provide actionable feedback to engineering and program teams.
  • Experience introducing new capabilities into operations, including testing, validation, training, and fielding.
  • Ability to communicate effectively with aircrew, leadership, and cross-functional teams.
  • Ability to operate in both CONUS and OCONUS environments and maintain deployable status.
  • Ability to maintain qualification and currency as an Airborne Sensor Operator.
  • Proficiency with mission systems, tactical software, and standard office tools.


Our Firmware

At Metrea, our single core value, Rooted in Humility, and our four cornerstone attributes-Entrepreneurial, Systematic, Discerning, and Over-Deliver. These form what we call our Teammate Firmware. Just like technical firmware connects software and hardware, our Firmware is the constant interface between our mission and our people. It defines how we show up, how we work together, and how we solve complex problems.

Our team Firmware creates a web-like, hyper-collaborative, dynamically hierarchical way of working that helps us adapt quickly, communicate openly, and distribute decision-making to where expertise actually lives. It enables groups to self-organize around hard problems, shift flu-idly as priorities evolve, and operate with the trust, curiosity, and discipline required in a complex mission space. This foundation allows us to deliver elegant, effective solutions and uphold our purpose: protecting our precious inheritance.

Benefits

Comprehensive medical plan options HSNFSA accounts

Dental and vision coverage 6% employer 401(k) match

Fully paid parental leave for all new parents Generous PTO

Life and disability insurance

Long-term and Short-term disability coverage

AD&D Coverage Pet Insurance

Employee Assistance Program

Subsided gym membership / plans through Wellhub


Work Authorization/ Security Clearance

Applicant must be legally authorized to work in the United States and must be a U.S. citizen. Active Top Secret/SCI clearance required at time of hire, and the ability to maintain it throughout employment.


AAP/EEO Statement

This Company is an Equal Opportunity Employer. Employment decisions are made without regard to race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, disability, veteran status, or other characteristics protected by law.


Position Type and Expected Hours of Work

This is a full-time exempt position with typical working hours of Monday through Friday, 8:00a.m. to 5:00 p.m. Hours and work shifts may change in accordance with department and busi-ness needs. Exempt Employees must have the ability to be on-call and available, as business needs require.


Work Location

Tampa, Florida.


Work Environment

This job operates in an office setting.


Travel

20%.



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