Odd Lots

Scott Kupor's New Plan to Bring Tech Workers Into the Federal Government

106 snips
Dec 25, 2025
Scott Kupor, Director of the U.S. Office of Personnel Management and former partner at Andreessen Horowitz, discusses his mission to inject tech talent into the federal government. He introduces the US Tech Force, aimed at recruiting top engineers and AI experts for two-year stints. Kupor reveals challenges in attracting tech workers, emphasizing culture over compensation. He proposes merit-based hiring, abandoning degree requirements, and revolutionizing performance evaluations, all while addressing bureaucracy to streamline operations and enhance government modernization.
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INSIGHT

OPM Is The Government's Talent Org

  • The Office of Personnel Management is the federal government's talent management organization overseeing policies for 2.1 million employees.
  • Its mission is ensuring the right people occupy the right jobs across agencies.
ADVICE

Recruit With Two‑Year Rotations

  • Launch short-term, focused rotations to attract early-career tech talent rather than demanding lifetime commitments.
  • Use two-year stints to expose people to public problems and allow movement back to the private sector.
INSIGHT

Serious Early‑Career Pipeline Gap

  • The federal workforce lacks early-career employees by a factor of about three compared with the private sector.
  • Nearly half the federal workforce is over 50, creating a looming knowledge and retirement gap.
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