Approximately 25,000 individuals have applied to join the Trump administration’s “Tech Force,” aimed at enhancing federal expertise in artificial intelligence and technology.
Around 25,000 people have expressed interest in joining the “Tech Force,” a new initiative by the Trump administration designed to recruit engineers and technology specialists with expertise in artificial intelligence (AI) for federal roles.
The U.S. Office of Personnel Management (OPM) announced that it will use the applications to recruit software engineers, data scientists, and other tech professionals. This figure was confirmed by a senior official within the Trump administration, as reported by Reuters.
The program aims to enlist approximately 1,000 engineers, data scientists, and AI specialists to work on critical technology projects across various government agencies. Participants, referred to as “fellows,” will engage in assignments that include AI implementation, application development, and data modernization.
Scott Kupor, director of OPM, noted that candidates will compete for 1,000 positions in the inaugural Tech Force cohort. The selected recruits will spend two years working on technology projects within federal agencies, including the Departments of Homeland Security, Veterans Affairs, and Justice, among others.
Members of the Tech Force will commit to a two-year employment program, collaborating with teams that report directly to agency leaders. This initiative also involves partnerships with leading technology companies such as Amazon Web Services, Apple, Dell Technologies, Microsoft, Nvidia, OpenAI, Palantir, Oracle, and Salesforce.
Upon completion of the two-year program, participants will have the opportunity to seek full-time positions with these private sector partners, who have pledged to consider alumni for employment. Additionally, private companies can nominate their employees to participate in government service stints.
This initiative was unveiled shortly after President Donald Trump signed an executive order aimed at preventing state-level AI regulations and establishing a unified national law. It reflects the administration’s commitment to maintaining American leadership in the AI sector.
According to CNBC, annual salaries for these positions are expected to range from $150,000 to $200,000, along with benefits.
Applications for the Tech Force opened on Monday through federal hiring channels, with OPM responsible for initial résumé screenings and technical assessments before agencies make final hiring decisions. Kupor aims to have the first cohort onboarded by the end of March 2026.
However, the initiative has faced criticism regarding its timing and structure. Max Stier, CEO of the Partnership for Public Service, a nonprofit advocating for federal workers, expressed concerns to Axios about the program’s overlap with previous initiatives undertaken by the U.S. Digital Service, which was disbanded by the current administration.
Rob Shriver, former acting OPM director and current managing director at Democracy Forward, raised questions about potential conflicts of interest. He highlighted concerns regarding private sector employees working on government projects while retaining their company stock holdings.
This ambitious hiring campaign reflects the Trump administration’s strategy to bolster federal capabilities in technology and AI, amidst ongoing debates about the implications of such initiatives.
For further details, refer to Reuters.