Overview
Government technology (GovTech) encompasses software development for federal, state, and local government agencies—from citizen-facing services to internal operations, defense systems, and critical infrastructure. This includes direct government employment (USDS, 18F, agency IT), federal contractors (large integrators like Booz Allen, Deloitte), and civic tech startups building government-focused products.
Hiring in government tech differs fundamentally from commercial software development. Security clearance requirements, compliance frameworks (FedRAMP for cloud, FISMA for security, Section 508 for accessibility), location constraints, and procurement processes create hiring challenges that don't exist in private sector.
For recruiters, government tech requires targeting a specific candidate profile: engineers motivated by public service, comfortable with structured environments, and willing to accept compensation below market rates for stability and mission. The talent pool narrows further when clearances are required—US citizenship is mandatory, and background investigations eliminate candidates with certain histories.
Why Government Hiring is Different
The Compliance and Process Reality
Government technology operates within constraints that don't exist in commercial software. Understanding these helps set realistic expectations:
| Constraint | What It Means | Hiring Impact |
|---|---|---|
| Security Clearances | Background investigation, US citizenship | Eliminates 40%+ of tech talent pool |
| FedRAMP | Cloud services must be certified | Requires experience with approved tech |
| FISMA | Security controls for federal systems | Security awareness is essential |
| Section 508 | Accessibility for all users | Accessibility skills valued |
| ATO Process | Authority to Operate approval | Patience with compliance processes |
| Procurement | Government contracting rules | Longer timelines for everything |
Engineers who thrive in government tech understand these aren't bureaucratic obstacles—they're requirements for serving public institutions responsibly. Your hiring process should surface candidates who accept constraints as part of meaningful work.
Decision-Making Moves Slowly
Government decisions involve stakeholders that private companies don't have:
- Contracting Officers must approve budget and terms
- Security Officers review clearance requirements
- Program Managers own agency relationships
- Compliance Teams verify regulatory adherence
- Multiple Approval Layers for significant decisions
A startup can extend an offer in a day. Government contractors may need weeks for internal approvals after final interviews. Agencies themselves can take months. Set expectations clearly—candidates who need fast decisions may not fit government tech timelines.
Types of Government Tech
Civic Tech and Digital Services
The most mission-visible government work involves citizen-facing services:
Examples:
- Healthcare.gov and state health exchanges
- IRS Free File and tax systems
- USCIS immigration services
- Veterans Affairs benefits systems
- State DMV modernization
- Municipal permit and licensing systems
Engineering Work:
- High-scale web applications
- Accessibility-first development
- Multi-language/internationalization
- Integration with legacy systems
- Mobile-responsive design
Who It Attracts:
Engineers who want to see their work help real people. "The system I built processes 10 million tax returns" has different meaning than "I optimized ad delivery."
Federal Agencies and USDS/18F
Direct government employment through agencies or digital service teams:
USDS (United States Digital Service):
- 2-4 year "tours of duty"
- Works inside agencies to fix critical systems
- Competitive salaries for government
- High-impact, high-visibility projects
- Top security clearances often required
18F (General Services Administration):
- Consulting for federal agencies
- Open-source focused
- Modern development practices
- Remote-friendly (pre-COVID pioneer)
- GS pay scale constraints
Agency IT:
- Direct federal employment
- GS pay scale (competitive for some locations)
- Excellent benefits (FEHB, FERS retirement)
- Job security but slower advancement
- Varies dramatically by agency
Defense and Intelligence
The cleared side of government tech:
Defense Contractors (Traditional):
- Lockheed Martin, Raytheon, Northrop Grumman
- Large programs, long timelines
- Often older technology stacks
- Strong benefits, reasonable hours
- Geographic concentration (DC metro, San Diego, etc.)
Defense Tech Startups:
- Anduril, Palantir, Shield AI
- Modern technology stacks
- Competitive with commercial compensation
- Mission-focused culture
- TS/SCI clearances often required
Intelligence Community:
- NSA, CIA, NGA, and contractors
- Highest clearance requirements (TS/SCI with polygraph)
- Unique technical challenges
- Most constrained talent pool
- Specialized skillsets (crypto, signals, etc.)
Government Contractors (Integrators)
Large consulting and integration firms:
- Booz Allen Hamilton - Strategy, analytics, digital
- Deloitte - Broad government practice
- Accenture Federal - Large implementations
- SAIC - Technical services
- General Dynamics IT - Defense and civilian
These firms win large contracts and need engineers to staff them. Work quality varies by project—some are modern greenfield, others maintain legacy systems from the 1990s.
What Engineers Need
Mission Alignment is Real
Engineers don't take government tech jobs for maximum compensation. They take them because:
- Building systems that serve millions of citizens
- Work that matters beyond shareholder value
- Pride in public service
- Solving problems at national scale
- Making government work better
Your job postings and interviews should speak to this. Lead with impact: "You'll build systems that process every tax return in the country" hits differently than "Join our enterprise team."
Stability and Work-Life Balance
Government tech offers what startups don't:
Job Security:
- Government rarely does mass layoffs
- Multi-year contracts provide visibility
- Agencies need ongoing support
- Even contractor churn is slower
Actual Work-Life Balance:
- 40-hour weeks are the norm
- Overtime is compensated or comp time
- PTO is actually usable
- Oncall is often structured and reasonable
Benefits:
- Federal employees: FEHB (good healthcare), FERS (pension + 401k match)
- Contractors: Varies but often comprehensive
- Job stability enables life planning
Modern Technology is Possible (Sometimes)
Government tech's reputation for outdated technology is partly deserved—but not universal:
Modern Environments Exist:
- USDS and 18F use current practices
- Some contractors run modern stacks
- Cloud-first initiatives are expanding
- DevOps practices are spreading
Legacy Reality:
- Many systems are decades old
- COBOL and mainframes still run critical infrastructure
- Modernization is slow
- "Latest framework" isn't the priority
If you're a modern shop, highlight it explicitly. Engineers assume government tech means legacy unless told otherwise.
Tolerance for Process
Engineers who succeed in government tech accept:
- Compliance reviews before deployment
- Change management processes
- Documentation requirements
- Security scanning and approval
- Slower release cycles
This isn't dysfunction—it's appropriate for systems that serve the public. Candidates who need to ship daily won't be happy. Candidates who value thoroughness over speed fit better.
Compensation Reality
The Pay Gap is Real
Government tech pays less than commercial software:
| Role | GovTech Range | Private Sector | Gap |
|---|---|---|---|
| Mid-Level Engineer | $100K-150K | $130K-180K | -20% |
| Senior Engineer | $145K-200K | $170K-250K | -15-25% |
| Staff/Principal | $180K-240K | $250K-400K | -25-40% |
The gap widens at senior levels. A Staff engineer might earn $350K at a tech company but $200K at a government contractor. The difference is stark.
Why Engineers Accept It
Despite lower pay, government tech attracts strong engineers:
Mission Compensation:
"I could make more elsewhere, but I'm building systems that help veterans get benefits they've earned."
Stability Premium:
"My startup friends are on their third layoff. I have a multi-year contract and know I'm employed next year."
Lifestyle Choice:
"I work 40 hours, my commute is reasonable, and I coach my kid's soccer team. That's worth $50K."
Benefits Math:
Federal healthcare, pension, and job security have real monetary value that doesn't show in salary comparisons.
Clearance Investment:
Security clearances are valuable and transferable. Engineers build clearance value early, then leverage it later.
Don't Pretend You're Competitive
Don't try to spin government tech compensation as equivalent to private sector—engineers know better. Instead, be honest:
"Our salaries are below market. We can't match Google or even well-funded startups. What we offer is meaningful work on critical systems, real work-life balance, and stability. If you're optimizing for maximum compensation, this isn't the right fit. If you want your work to matter and to have a life outside work, let's talk."
Honesty builds trust. Overselling compensation destroys it when candidates research.
Clearance Considerations
Understanding Clearance Levels
Security clearances constrain who can do government work:
| Level | Investigation | Timeline | Scope |
|---|---|---|---|
| Public Trust | Basic background | 1-3 months | Unclassified, low risk |
| Secret | NACLC investigation | 3-6 months | Classified to Secret |
| Top Secret | Single Scope BI | 6-12 months | Classified to TS |
| TS/SCI | Polygraph possible | 12-18+ months | Compartmented information |
Clearance as Hiring Constraint
Clearance requirements dramatically affect your talent pool:
US Citizenship Required:
This alone eliminates a significant portion of tech talent, especially in diverse tech hubs.
Background Disqualifiers:
Recent drug use, financial problems, foreign contacts, and other factors can prevent clearance. Many otherwise-qualified engineers can't get cleared.
Geographic Concentration:
Cleared work often requires specific locations—DC metro area has the largest concentration. Remote options are limited for classified work.
Timeline Reality:
Sponsoring a clearance takes 6-18 months. If you need someone cleared immediately, your pool shrinks to those already holding clearance—a competitive market.
Clearance Strategy
Require Existing Clearance When:
- Project is classified and active now
- Can't wait 6-18 months for sponsorship
- Timeline is more important than talent pool
Sponsor Clearance When:
- Can wait for investigation timeline
- Want broader talent pool
- Building long-term team capacity
- Strong candidate is worth the wait
Don't Require Clearance When:
- Work is actually unclassified
- FedRAMP/FISMA doesn't require clearance
- You're over-specifying requirements
Many government tech roles don't actually require clearances. Don't add clearance requirements unless the work demands it.
Building Your Government Tech Team
Where to Find GovTech Engineers
Communities:
- Code for America network
- Civic tech meetups
- Government-focused Slack communities
- Federal News Network followers
- USDS/18F alumni networks
Job Boards:
- USAJOBS (federal positions)
- ClearedJobs.net (cleared positions)
- Code for America job board
- Civic tech-specific boards
Conferences:
- Code for America Summit
- Government IT conferences
- Defense tech events
Interview Considerations
Assess Mission Motivation:
"What draws you to government technology specifically?"
Good: Genuine interest in public service, understanding of constraints, realistic expectations
Red flag: Only wants clearance for future private sector premium
Assess Process Tolerance:
"Tell me about working within strict compliance or regulatory requirements."
Good: Accepts constraints as legitimate, finds ways to work within them
Red flag: Sees all process as bureaucracy to circumvent
Assess Long-Term Fit:
"How do you think about compensation relative to other factors in your career?"
Good: Has thought about trade-offs, values mission/stability consciously
Red flag: Expects government tech to match private sector comp
Retention in Government Tech
Why GovTech Engineers Leave:
- Compensation gap becomes unbearable
- Technology stagnation (same legacy system for years)
- Mission fatigue (bureaucracy wins)
- Clearance value realized (leave for premium elsewhere)
How to Retain:
- Rotate people across interesting projects
- Invest in technology modernization
- Celebrate mission impact
- Provide learning opportunities
- Be honest about compensation limits
Recruiter's Cheat Sheet
Key Differentiators
- Mission sells — Lead with public impact, not technical details
- Be honest about pay — Don't pretend you're competitive; explain the trade-offs
- Clearances matter — Plan timelines around clearance requirements
- Stability is valuable — Work-life balance and job security are real benefits
- Modern tech exists — If you're modern, say so explicitly
Timeline Benchmarks
| Stage | GovTech Reality | Considerations |
|---|---|---|
| Posting to application | 2-4 weeks | Cleared job boards are slower |
| Application to screen | 1-2 weeks | Compliance review may add time |
| Screen to interview | 1-3 weeks | Stakeholder coordination needed |
| Interview to offer | 2-4 weeks | Multiple approval layers |
| Offer to start | 2-8 weeks | Clearance processing if needed |
| Total | 2-4 months | Longer with clearance sponsorship |
What Engineers Ask About
Be prepared to answer:
- Actual technology stack (not "modern" without specifics)
- Clearance requirements and sponsorship
- Remote work policies
- On-call and weekend expectations
- Specific projects and their impact
- Path to advancement
- How compliance affects daily work