How to hire an airport operations specialist

How to hire an airport operations specialist, step by step

Here's a step-by-step airport operations specialist hiring guide:

• Step 1: Identify your hiring needs
• Step 2: Create an ideal candidate profile
• Step 3: Make a budget
• Step 4: Write an airport operations specialist job description
• Step 5: Post your job
• Step 6: Interview candidates
• Step 7: Send a job offer and onboard your new airport operations specialist
• Step 8: Go through the hiring process checklist

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1. Identify your hiring needs

   Before you post your airport operations specialist job, you should take the time to determine what type of worker your business needs. While certain jobs definitely require a full-time employee, it's sometimes better to find an airport operations specialist for hire on a part-time basis or as a contractor.

   Determine employee vs contractor status

   Is the person you're thinking of hiring a US citizen or green card holder?

   Yes

   No

   You should also consider the ideal background you'd like them an airport operations specialist to have before you start to hire. For example, what industry or field would you like them to have experience in, what level of seniority or education does the job require, and how much it'll cost to hire an airport operations specialist that fits the bill.

   Here's a comparison of airport operations specialist salaries for various roles:

   Type of Airport Operations Specialist	Description	Hourly rate
   Airport Operations Specialist		$13-29
   Traffic Manager	The main job of a traffic manager is to make sure that account service marketing collateral works and flows efficiently to production and creative departments. Traffic managers take responsibility for keeping everyone in the team on task and the projects on deadline... Show more	$17-49
   Fleet Manager	A fleet manager is responsible for monitoring the delivery processes, including the maintenance and registration of delivery vehicles, recruiting delivery drivers, and regularly inspecting the vehicle's engine to boost optimal performance for efficient deliveries. Fleet managers purchase the vehicles, negotiating contracts with trusted manufacturers, and try to keep minimal costs without compromising quality... Show more	$14-37

   Show more

2. Create an ideal candidate profile

   Common skills:

   • Safety Inspections
   • Non-Emergency Situations
   • Federal Aviation Administration
   • Plumbing
   • Reservations
   • Federal Regulations
   • Safety Procedures
   • Transportation Security Administration
   • NOTAMs
   • Check-In Process
   • Arff
   • FOD
   • Air Traffic Control
   • CCTV

   Check all skills

   Responsibilities:

   • Manage operations associate facilities, flight training equipment, and all associate logistics.
   • Direct airside operations, which include safety and wildlife inspections, employee training, NOTAMs, and more.
   • Attend meetings with FAA, TSA, tenants, and airport personnel to discuss operations, security and safety issues.
   • Monitor CCTV security cameras for activity on property.
   • Monitor the centralized security system to enforce TSA regulations.
   • Inspect and operate emergency rescue equipment and perform firefighting operations .!

   More airport operations specialist duties

3. Make a budget

   Including a salary range in your airport operations specialist job description is one of the best ways to attract top talent. An airport operations specialist can vary based on:

   • Location. For example, airport operations specialists' average salary in utah is 33% less than in alaska.
   • Seniority. Entry-level airport operations specialists 55% less than senior-level airport operations specialists.
   • Certifications. An airport operations specialist with certifications usually earns a higher salary.
   • Company. Working for an established firm or a new start-up company can make a big difference in an airport operations specialist's salary.

   Average airport operations specialist salary

   $42,256yearly

   $20.32 hourly rate

   ---

   Entry-level airport operations specialist salary

   $28,000 yearly salary

   Updated December 17, 2025

   Average airport operations specialist salary by state

   Rank	State	Avg. salary	Hourly rate
   1	California	$49,649	$24
   2	New York	$47,379	$23
   3	Illinois	$45,230	$22
   4	Texas	$44,572	$21
   5	Wisconsin	$42,138	$20
   6	Nevada	$41,264	$20
   7	Arizona	$39,574	$19
   8	Ohio	$36,804	$18
   9	Colorado	$36,236	$17
   10	Florida	$36,092	$17
   11	Tennessee	$33,603	$16
   12	Utah	$33,182	$16

   Average airport operations specialist salary by company

   Company

   Rank	Company	Average salary	Hourly rate	Job openings
   1	Jefferson County Sheriffs Dept	$51,983	$24.99
   2	Lakeland Electric	$48,387	$23.26
   3	City of Austin	$47,713	$22.94
   4	City of Boise	$43,654	$20.99	1
   5	City of Palm Springs	$42,527	$20.45	1
   6	Grand Junction Police Dept	$42,025	$20.20
   7	City of Santa Monica	$40,895	$19.66
   8	City of Santa Barbara	$40,857	$19.64
   9	Outagamie County	$40,653	$19.54	2
   10	Redevelopment Agency of Salt Lake City	$39,934	$19.20	1
   11	LGSTX Services	$39,395	$18.94
   12	The Hertz Corporation	$39,280	$18.88	54
   13	The Ohio State University	$38,928	$18.72	2
   14	Randstad North America, Inc.	$38,729	$18.62
   15	The Home Store	$38,623	$18.57	9
   16	Grand Canyon West	$36,983	$17.78	2
   17	Murfreesboro, Tennessee	$35,293	$16.97
   18	Hudson Group	$33,929	$16.31

4. Writing an airport operations specialist job description

   An airport operations specialist job description should include a summary of the role, required skills, and a list of responsibilities. It's also good to include a salary range and the first name of the hiring manager. Below, you can find an example of an airport operations specialist job description:

   Airport operations specialist job description example

   Located in Denver International Airport
   
   WE'RE HIRING IMMEDIATELY AND OFFERING A $300 HIRING BONUS FOR JOINING OUR TEAM!
   
   GROW With US!
   
   Hudson is North America's leading travel retailer. For over 30 years, Hudson has met the needs and wants of travelers in more than 1,000 duty-free, duty-paid, and food & beverage stores. We couldn't serve our customers, landlords, and partners in airports, commuter terminals, hotels, and casinos without the continued support of our greatest assets: our team members. We're dedicated to hiring and training exceptional team members, who are committed to serving the customer as the Traveler's Best Friend. We strive to ensure we're fulfilling our team members' career potentials through training, skills-development, and career pathways - as our team members grow and succeed both personally and professionally, so does Hudson.
   
   What We Will Offer You:
   • A one-time $300 hiring bonus
   • A competitive rate of pay of $19.00 per hour
   • A 20% off Hudson Employee Discount
   • A 50% off Hudson Food & Beverage Discount
   • Parking and Transit Reimbursement
   
   This Beauty Advisor Job Is For You, If You Enjoy:
   • Inspiring customers to express their individual beauty by providing them with a complete shopping experience, including enthusiastic, helpful assistance and product knowledge of Kiehl's
   • Working at the Denver International Airport
   
   Your Team is counting on you as a Beauty Advisor to:
   • Work any day of the week, including weekends
   • Work the Evening Shift 1-9pm (10pm for delayed flights)
   • Work a Full-Time schedule
   
   Beauty Advisor Key Accountabilities:
   • Advise customers on the use of Kiehl's skin, hair, and body care products
   • Provide timely, welcoming, personal, professional, and consistent service to all customers at all times
   • Communicate effectively with customers, fellow employees, and store management
   • Enforce and maintain the highest visual standards, including displays, signage, and promotional items
   • Replenish merchandise products and stock on shelves
   • Comply and enforce store, state, and federal regulations
   
   Beauty Advisor Required Qualifications:
   • Impeccable customer service skills
   • Previous cashier experience
   • Previous experience working within the Beauty and Fragrance field
   • Must have knowledge of different brands and vendors, Kiehl's
   
   Some of our company-offered benefits for you and your family include:
   • Health & Well Being: Medical/Dental/Vision Insurance
   • Paid Time Off
   • Various Personal and Parental Leave Programs
   • Universal Life Insurance
   • Retirement Programs & Matching Employee Contributions: 401K & RRSP
   • Employee Recognition & Anniversary Programs
   • Training, Development, and Growth Opportunities
   • Tuition Assistance & Scholarship Programs
   
   "Depending on the location of the position, applicants must be currently authorized to work in the United States or Canada for any employer."
   
   "Hudson is an Equal Opportunity Employer of all qualified individuals. All employment decisions are made without regard to age, race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, national origin, disability, military leave or veteran status, genetic information, or any other status protected by applicable federal, state or local law. We are committed to creating an inclusive workplace in which we value diversity and unique experiences, backgrounds and identities."
   
   All offers are contingent upon successful completion and passing of background checks and/or employment verification results.
   
   Note to staffing agencies: Please do not contact Hudson (including the recruitment team or any hiring managers) regarding this position with candidates. If assistance is needed in filling any position for Hudson, a member of our recruiting team will reach out directly.
   
   #AF123QA

   Copy this example

   

5. Post your job

   To find airport operations specialists for your business, try out a few different recruiting strategies:

   • Consider internal talent. One of the most important talent pools for any company is its current employees.
   • Ask for referrals. Reach out to friends, family members, and your current work to ask if they know any airport operations specialists they would recommend.
   • Recruit at local colleges. Attend job fairs at local colleges to recruit entry-level airport operations specialists with the right educational background.
   • Social media platforms. LinkedIn, Facebook, and Twitter have more than 3.5 billion users, and they're a great place for company branding and reaching potential job candidates.

   Post your job online:

   • Post your airport operations specialist job on Zippia to find and recruit airport operations specialist candidates who meet your exact specifications.
   • Use field-specific websites.
   • Post a job on free websites.

6. Interview candidates

   Your first interview with airport operations specialist candidates should focus on their interest in the role and background experience. As the hiring process goes on, you can learn more about how they'd fit into the company culture in later rounds of interviews.

   It's also good to ask about candidates' unique skills and talents. You can move on to the technical interview if a candidate is good enough for the next step.

   The right interview questions can help you assess a candidate's hard skills, behavioral intelligence, and soft skills.

7. Send a job offer and onboard your new airport operations specialist

   Once you've decided on a perfect airport operations specialist candidate, it's time to write an offer letter. In addition to salary, it should include benefits and perks available to the employee. Qualified candidates may be considered for other positions, so make sure your offer is competitive. Candidates may wish to negotiate. Once you've settled on the details, formalize your agreement with a contract.

   It's also important to follow up with applicants who do not get the job with an email letting them know that the position is filled.

   To prepare for the new airport operations specialist first day, you should share an onboarding schedule with them that covers their first period on the job. You should also quickly complete any necessary paperwork, such as employee action forms and onboarding documents like I-9, benefits enrollment, and federal and state tax forms. Finally, Human Resources must ensure a new employee file is created for internal record keeping.

8. Go through the hiring process checklist

   • Determine employee type (full-time, part-time, contractor, etc.)
   • Submit a job requisition form to the HR department
   • Define job responsibilities and requirements
   • Establish budget and timeline
   • Determine hiring decision makers for the role
   • Write job description
   • Post job on job boards, company website, etc.
   • Promote the job internally
   • Process applications through applicant tracking system
   • Review resumes and cover letters
   • Shortlist candidates for screening
   • Hold phone/virtual interview screening with first round of candidates
   • Conduct in-person interviews with top candidates from first round
   • Score candidates based on weighted criteria (e.g., experience, education, background, cultural fit, skill set, etc.)
   • Conduct background checks on top candidates
   • Check references of top candidates
   • Consult with HR and hiring decision makers on job offer specifics
   • Extend offer to top candidate(s)
   • Receive formal job offer acceptance and signed employment contract
   • Inform other candidates that the position has been filled
   • Set and communicate onboarding schedule to new hire(s)
   • Complete new hire paperwork (i9, benefits enrollment, tax forms, etc.)

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