This article seems off the mark. I currently work at 18F and in some ways I see what it's trying to say but it's missing important details.
1) 18F positions are filled in 2 year terms (Schedule A), with the possibility of a two year extension. 18F is about four years old and many people are terming out. My impression is that most people enjoy the work and would prefer to stay, they just can't.
2) Backfilling positions was severely hurt by the hiring freeze. That's been frustrating, but that's not specific to 18F or a judgement on 18F's work.
3) Recent changes in leadership disappointed many people because we appeared to be getting into a good rhythm. But the new commissioner loves the work we're doing and is planning to grow the team by 100 new people - bringing us back to peak levels.
Are there challenges? Sure. But there are challenges at every organization and the challenges of 18F are complex and interesting. I love my job and I am working with incredible colleagues. The projects themselves are fascinating and we get to wrestle with complex problems. We lead with technology, but the goal is usually to transform the way an agency or department works. That's massive! The pay is actually pretty good: GS-15 is $164,200 for Bay Area, which is not the highest, but we're hardly struggling.