‘War Force’ hiring initiative seeks federal tech talent at the Pentagon

U.S. Air National Guard soldiers analyze defensive data logs on a computer terminal during Exercise Cyber Tatanka 2026 at the University of Nebraska-Lincoln campus on June 11, 2026. (U.S. Army National Guard photo by Staff Sgt. Gauret Stearns)

By Drew Friedman • Jul 01, 2026

The Trump administration has launched a federal recruitment program designed to connect experienced software engineers with open technical positions across the Defense Department.

The Pentagon’s new federal hiring program, called “War Force,” aims to attract hundreds of candidates for temporary, two-year DoD positions, including those with experience in engineering and advanced technologies like artificial intelligence, machine learning, automation and data systems.

Applications for the program are open until July 17, according to the USAJobs announcement. The new hiring effort falls under the Office of Personnel Management’s larger Tech Force program, which first launched in December. War Force recruitment will be tailored to “the department’s unique operational and mission requirements,” OPM and DoD said in a joint press release.