While CFPB is definitely a separate thing from USDS, I'd imagine their end goals are the same: building things that help government better serve citizens. The more dedicated people that take up this mission in public service, the better!
The US Department of Veterans Affairs recently released a new online tool that makes it much easier for Veterans to apply for compensation claims. Based on user research, if the claim is for something like PTSD, it encourages the user to take a break and also includes crisis line info. Because the tool is digital instead of paper, it eliminates entire classes of mistakes and means that claims are processed a lot faster.
Lots of government systems need to work so much better for people. Why not join us in DC to tackle some really impactful projects? I'm always happy to answer questions if people want.
1. Can you talk at all about the interview process for USDS? My big reluctance to apply for positions right now is that so many companies require extensive knowledge of algorithms, which can be daunting for someone who's self-taught, like myself. I imagine USDS is more focused on large-scale systems, but I'm unsure what that looks like in an interview setting, other than discussing a candidate's experiences with system design or improvements.
2. Can you comment on how a transition from one president to another affects USDS? I imagine there's a change in priorities and possibly some leadership, but what do those changes look like, and how drastically do they affect the organization?
On the transition between administrations, we've been fortunate to have solid support in both administrations. It's been a non-partisan issue to make the government more effective and efficient using technology. No one wants archaic computer systems that could break and risk delivering services to the public. I feel very good about our ability to prioritize projects based on their impact, and we've been able to continue to work on vital services.
I am not a US citizen but my wife is and I have been pestering her to apply to USDS for a project manager/business analyst position. We value the importance of work you are doing but we rarely see openings for her role. Sorry for posting this here but it would be awesome for her to at least chat with you folks. She has plenty of experience working with federal agencies.
We have been reworking some of our competencies on product and delivery, but I'd still like to see whether it might be a match.
The best of technology. The best of government. And we want you. We're looking for the most tenacious designers, software engineers, product managers, and more, who are committed to untangling, rewiring and redesigning critical government services. You'll join a team of the most talented technologists from across the private sector and government. No government resume required! We work on some of the biggest issues affecting the American people there are, immigration, veterans service, students, health care, and more. We're especially looking for talented senior engineers to join us to help shift move government tech in the right direction.
See one of our Reports to Congress for examples of what you could be working on:
https://www.usds.gov/report-to-congress/2017/07/
Apply here:
https://www.usds.gov/apply