This is incorrect. The original team that became USDS was brought in because healthcare.gov was a dumpster fire.

A maxed out GS-13 (step 10) runs 130-140k depending on locality, which is new grad range for private sector tech companies. GS-15 hits the 170k threshold, but it’s rare to find technical, non-management roles at that level. (Source: The OPM pay tables for localities are publicly available, and I was a software engineer for a DoD agency for 10 years.)

170 was for the dc location, which carries a 30% CoL adjustment.

I'm still not sure where you're getting 170. The max base for GS-13 is step 10 at $103,309. Adding 30% is nowhere near 170. At the upper end of GS-13 in San Diego (29.77% locality), I was making low to mid 130s. Are you including recruitment/retention incentives?

I see the job description mentions that you operate in SF and Sacramento. Can the positions be filled at either location?

We'll actually be operating out of Walnut Creek, CA. Sorry for the out-of-date descriptions on Workable!