Matching the rise of AI in the US with a similar urgency to develop talent, the US government is now hiring for a new Tech Force program managed by the OPM. The force is designed to nurture talent and channel their expertise with AI technology towards governmental operations, building up both the country and an AI-literate workforce at once.
The AI wars are escalating with each passing day, and tech giants are now competing to locate and recruit the most skilled AI experts to work for them. Seeking to do something similar for the federal forces, the government’s AI talent program is a fresh way to modernize its operations and attract top talent towards improving the country’s progress in mastering AI.
The US government’s new Tech Force program is now hiring early-career tech talent to improve governmental operations and develop AI expertise. (Image: Freepik)
The US Tech Force Is Now Hiring: What Do We Know About the Government’s Tech Hiring Campaign?
All set for lauch with a brand new Wikipedia page of its own, the US government’s Tech Force program is expected to start taking applications for tech experts who want to “tackle the government’s most complex and large-scale challenges.” Selected candidates are expected to be placed across federal operations within the first quarter of 2026, receiving access to mission-critical projects with key agencies like the Departments of State, Treasury, War, Commerce, Health and Human Services, etc.
The program, managed by the US Office of Personnel Management (OPM), is hoping to initially recruit 1,000 young candidates across roles like software engineering, data science, project management, and AI. These hires will then be placed across government agencies for a two-year period to develop their talent and contribute to the government in equal measure.
“The U.S. Tech Force offers the chance to build and lead projects of national importance, while creating powerful career opportunities in both public service and the private sector,” Scott Kupor, the director of the Office of Personnel Management, said with regard to the new US Tech Force. Recruits will reportedly be paid between $150,000 and $200,000 annually.
The Government Is Also Recruiting Tech Talent from the Private Sector
The US government’s AI talent program is primarily designed to cater to tech workers in the early stages of their careers, but the program will also partner with top tech companies to allow employees to take a leave of absence from their private-sector jobs to join the US Tech Force.
The OPM announcement for the 2-year Tech Force program includes a long list of around 29 initial private sector partners, which include names like AWS, Apple, Coinbase, Dell Technologies, IBM, Meta, OpenAI, and xAI. Over time, the list of private sector partners is likely to grow. While this form of collaboration does bring up questions regarding a conflict of interest and ethical dilemmas regarding its operations, it offers to help both the government and the private sector benefit from existing talent.
The Government’s Hiring Campaign Offers a Way to Encourage Young Talent
The desire to update and modernize the government has been apparent since the introduction of the Department of Government Efficiency, which sought to lay off thousands of workers in the pursuit of efficiency gains. Many talented workers were lost in the process, including the General Services Administration’s 18F division, a tech consultancy group that assisted the government with its operations, but was identified as “non-critical.”
The US President has also persistently called to improve America’s leadership in AI, going so far as to block states from introducing AI regulations and discussing the pre-emptive release of policies to prevent them from setting safeguards in place. While this is far from an ideal approach to building technology, the US Tech Force cross-government program certainly marks a big leap forward for the government’s ambition to recruit the best of the best.
With the rise of AI and associated technology, there is considerable room to build opportunities that nurture and train young workers to develop into more skilled experts who grow with the technological advancements currently being made. Palantir recently launched its own program to provide young talent with an apprenticeship program, proposing to better prepare them for the evolution of the workplace and its needs. Companies like Walmart are partnering with OpenAI to provide employees with training on AI. These strategies are likely the best way to develop both the business and the labor force, and could lead to widespread development for the country at large.
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