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Comment by Matt_Cutts | Hacker News Reader

Here's an example article from last week about the kind of work we help with: https://governmentciomedia.com/va-radically-streamlining-cla...

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.

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Hi Matt, I've got two questions.

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?

Thanks for asking! On the interview process, there's a resume review stage, then a technical interview. If the technical interview goes well, then there's one more technical interview plus a resilience/emotional intelligence/EQ interview. We do typically ask one coding question when we're talking to engineers, but you're right that we're more concerned about large-scale systems, diagnosing bottlenecks, and asking the right questions compared to (say) focusing on algorithms. We care less about minimum spanning trees and more about practical aspects of making real-world systems perform well.

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.

Hello Matt! Big admirer of the work USDS is doing. I'm curious if USDS ever showcases its work in public venues like conferences or local meetups in DC. I'd love to learn more about the things you're all building and the processes the team goes through more directly.

We should definitely be talking to more folks locally in DC. Are there any meetups that you especially enjoy?

Matt,

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.

Hey, I would ask her to go ahead and apply--we're always taking applications--and then indicate in the text field that she's closer to a project manager.

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.

Hey Mat! I have a political science background and about a year of experience in coding/development. Do you all offer internships or have entry level positions?

Hey there I am a member of USDS and a local community organizer for DCJS / NodeDC / DC Code & Coffee / Alexandria Code & Coffee. I would be happy to chat at or after any event I am attending. There are a bunch of us around who are DC Tech organizers, I am sure any would be happy to chat.

Hi! My name is Jordan and I'm a USDSer at the DoD. I'll be sharing my experiences trying to open source software within the DoD at the upcoming Mid-Atlantic Developer Conference in Baltimore (Aug 1-2). As Robbie mentioned, some of us also participate in many of the user groups around town, including DCJS and Women Who Code DC.

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