DOGE might be slashing roles across federal agencies, but the department itself is on a hiring spree. According to a candidate who recently applied for a position, the hiring process involves a five-stage interview process that takes place over a couple of weeks.
What Happened: The applicant told WIRED that the process began with a short screening call, followed by a technical assignment with an immediate deadline. Successful applicants then moved on to two in-depth technical interviews and finally a placement discussion to gauge fit and project alignment.
According to the applicant, interviewed by the publication, salaries ranged from $120,000 to $190,000, which is in line with top federal pay grades. According to a former USDS insider, this range is not new, but some DOGE recruits with no experience in the public sector are allegedly earning as much or more than long-time civil servants.
What to Know: The interviewee was asked to build a basic site to help analyze government regulations. This exercise seems to align closely with DOGE’s reported push towards AI-driven deregulation. During the first 15-minute call, a recruiter mentioned some projects DOGE was likely to implement, including, according to the applicant, “leveraging AI to improve medical services for veterans,” “streamlining federal aid applications from Americans who experience natural disasters like floods, hurricanes, and tornadoes,” and “improving the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) and expanding Americans’ access to financial assistance for higher education.”
This new insight on DOGE’s hiring process comes as controversies surrounding DOGE employees remain unresolved. Two people connected with DOGE were reportedly provided accounts on classified U.S. government networks that manage sensitive nuclear weapons data. A whistleblower report also alleged unauthorized data access at the National Labor Relations Board by DOGE officials.
On Tuesday, Elon Musk, the face of DOGE, responded to questions about its efficacy, saying, “We are advisers. We are not—we’re not kings here.”
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