We’re solving big problems
Millions of people use federal government services every day. Veterans apply for health care. Immigrants apply for naturalization. Too often, outdated tools and complex systems make these interactions cumbersome and frustrating.
To improve these services, USDS hires mission-driven professionals into term-limited ‘tours of civic service.’ By working alongside civil servants, they help address some of the most critical needs.
Delivering a better government experience
Our small, highly empowered teams use their expertise to develop human-centered solutions to the federal government’s most pressing technical challenges. Explore a few of our projects.
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Centers for Disease Control and Prevention
Preparing for the Next Pandemic While Building Tech for COVID-19
We worked with the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention to quickly create and scale technology programs that digitize and share infectious disease test results in real-time.
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Cross-agency
Optimizing benefits for families
Working alongside The Department of Treasury and the White House, we built ChildTaxCredit.gov to educate families about the expanded Earned Income Credit and Child Tax Credit. The USDS team relied on in-depth research to create a site that is accessible, easy-to-read, and provides resources to find free tax services.
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Health and Human Services
Critical code: building COVID-19 vaccine finder tools
With the American public eager for COVID-19 vaccinations, The White House partnered with the U.S. Digital Service, the Centers for Disease Control & Prevention, the Department of Health & Human Services, and Boston Children’s Hospital to launch a fleet of tools connecting people to life-saving vaccines.
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Veterans Affairs
Simplifying Veteran‑facing services through VA.gov
Each month, over 10 million people attempt to access the digital tools and content at the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) and have historically struggled to find what they’re looking for. Digital modernization efforts needed to focus on improving the user experience.
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Health and Human Services
Modernizing the Medicare Payment System
Eight million lines of COBOL and 2.5 million lines of assembly running on 15 mainframes. 4.5 percent of the entire American economy is fueled by Medicare payments and 53 million people depend on it for their healthcare.
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Cross-agency
Changing how the government hires technical talent
We helped develop a process that allows HR to leverage subject matter experts to evaluate candidates for specialized roles. The result restores fair and open access for all applicants, shortens the hiring timeline, and ensures applicants are truly qualified.
By the people, for the people
Every person, from all walks of life, interacts with their government. We hire people from a range of cultural, geographical, and ethnic backgrounds to improve the services that millions rely on. Meet a few staff members who are passionate about applying their work and lived experiences to public service.
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Alum / Engineering
David Holmes
“It’s not about how can we maximize digital ad space or make conversion rates better, but how we can use technology to really make a difference in someone’s life.”
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Staff / Design
Annie Nguyen
“Making sure we can improve, design, and iterate on a printed piece of paper, while explaining policy in a more human-centered way was a challenge I wasn’t expecting.”
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Alum / Talent
Anissa Pérez
“I will never forget my USDS family when I move on.”
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Alum / Operations
Eunice Garcia
“There is definitely a need for more women of color to speak tech and government at the same time. I believe in changing the status quo, and more importantly, empowering good people with the right tools, especially in government.”
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Alum / Procurement
Brent Maravilla
“And my resolve to contribute to the movement was only strengthened when I heard about how USDS works, their values, and the awesome things they had delivered.”
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Alum / Product
Kasia Chmielinski
“Making responsible decisions about complex issues requires representation at the table where the decisions are being made.”
USDS in the news
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Great Resignation boosts White House's tech talent hunt
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Biden promised to digitize the government. Getting it done won't be easy.
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New boss for government's tech "SWAT team"
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This little-known program has played a central role in the U.S. government's coronavirus response
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How tech workers in the government could make everyone’s life easier: ‘Get rid of the paper’
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How a Star Wars Crab Became a Federal Agency’s Twitter Avatar
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This simple technological fix helped veterans get health benefits
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Uncle Sam wants you to join the United States Digital Service
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Tech-starved government seeks industry’s best, brightest
We are a community
When you join USDS you become part of a vibrant, supportive group of humans. Check out our social media channels to see more USDS moments.