# SpruceID Expands Public Sector Footprint with DHS Contract and State Digital Identity Roles **Author:** Zero G Talent **Published:** 2026-11-07 **Category:** software **Tags:** yc-hiring, digital identity, govtech, rust, cryptography, software engineering [Read on Zero G Talent](https://zerogtalent.com/blog/spruceid-expands-public-sector-footprint-with-dhs-contract-and-state-digital-identity-roles) --- [SpruceID](https://zerogtalent.com/defense-companies/spruceid) was selected by the Department of Homeland Security for identity security contracts, as reported by [Nextgov/FCW](https://www.nextgov.com/digital-government/2024/07/dhs-selects-6-digital-wallet-startups-identity-security-contracts/397887/). The agency contract focuses on digital wallet systems designed to meet travel document standards while safeguarding citizen privacy. The 25-person startup, founded in 2020 by [Wayne Chang](https://zerogtalent.com/people/wayne-chang) and [Gregory Rocco](https://zerogtalent.com/people/gregory-rocco), previously partnered with the State of California Department of Motor Vehicles to build a mobile driver's license application. According to an interview in [Pulse 2.0](https://pulse2.com/spuceid-wayne-chang-profile/), that project moved from planning to production in 18 months, allowing California residents to store digital credentials in an open-source mobile wallet used at TSA airport checkpoints. To support expanding state and federal projects, the company is hiring engineering talent for direct client engagement. Open positions include the [Principal Forward Deployed Engineer](https://zerogtalent.com/defense-jobs/spruceid/principal-forward-deployed-engineer-92410) ($200,000 to $225,000), who leads high-impact engagements with state governments to define architecture and adoption strategies while writing backend code, and the [Senior Forward Deployed Engineer](https://zerogtalent.com/defense-jobs/spruceid/senior-forward-deployed-engineer-92401) ($150,000 to $175,000), focused on building and deploying privacy-preserving identity systems directly with public sector partners. ## Decentralized Credential Infrastructure Instead of traditional sign-in mechanisms where central databases store user records, SpruceID builds architecture around user-controlled data vaults. Its core software foundation, SpruceKit, is released open-source and primarily written in Rust, which cross-compiles to target client environments for memory safety and execution efficiency. SpruceKit libraries implement verifiable credential standards established by ISO, W3C, and NIST for issuing, holding, and revoking digital credentials. In a video overview titled [How Verifiable Digital Credentials Work](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ze1TDxxXDic), the company demonstrates how credentials signed by trusted authorities act like digital sealed envelopes, verified locally using public key cryptography without querying a central authority. To advance mobile implementations across platforms, SpruceID is hiring a [Senior Mobile Engineer](https://zerogtalent.com/defense-jobs/spruceid/senior-mobile-engineer-92416) ($140,000 to $180,000) to build identity solutions in Flutter and React Native, alongside a [Senior Forward Deployed Engineer, Mobile](https://zerogtalent.com/defense-jobs/spruceid/senior-forward-deployed-engineer-mobile-92414) ($150,000 to $175,000) to collaborate with state partners on turning policy requirements into mobile applications. ## Leadership and Product Strategy Co-founder and CEO [Wayne Chang](https://zerogtalent.com/people/wayne-chang) holds a background in electrical and software engineering and previously founded a health tech company focused on medical records access. Chang has also backed early-stage technology companies including Gusto, Planet Labs, and Finch. Co-founder [Gregory Rocco](https://zerogtalent.com/people/gregory-rocco) led digital identity strategy at ConsenSys before co-founding SpruceID and currently serves as Head of Portfolio at Ethereal Ventures. Speaking at a [TechCalifornia](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MY_ZcR54q3I) presentation, Chang highlighted how resident-controlled wallets allow individuals to carry verified facts—such as residency or income status—to streamline public benefit claims and cut fraud across state programs. In an interview on the [Privacy Podcast](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aWmrYBY5eo0), Chang noted that SpruceID originally launched Sign-in with Ethereum to let users authenticate via blockchain accounts rather than corporate intermediaries, before expanding into standards-compliant digital credential management for governments and enterprises. SpruceID raised a $34 million Series A round in April 2022 led by Andreessen Horowitz, with participation from Okta Ventures, Electric Capital, Y Combinator, and Coinbase Ventures, bringing total funding to approximately $42 million. ## Remote Engineering Hiring SpruceID operates fully remotely across the United States. In addition to forward-deployed customer roles, the engineering team is hiring full-stack and mobile developers to build out core credentialing frameworks: - [Mobile Engineer, Digital Identity (Fully Remote)](https://zerogtalent.com/defense-jobs/spruceid/mobile-engineer-digital-identity-fully-remote-92403) ($120,000 to $200,000): Develops mobile identity applications in Flutter for state governments and enterprises, integrating backend identity services and cryptographic libraries. - [Full-Stack Software Engineer – Remote](https://zerogtalent.com/defense-jobs/spruceid/full-stack-software-engineer-remote-92404) ($120,000 to $200,000): Builds full-stack identity features for high-compliance environments and provides technical consulting for public sector deployments. - [Full-Stack Software Engineer (New Grad) – Remote](https://zerogtalent.com/defense-jobs/spruceid/full-stack-software-engineer-new-grad-remote-92405) ($110,000 to $150,000): Assists senior engineers in developing backend microservices and web user interfaces for state government partner applications. ## Open Roles at SpruceID | Role | Location | Work Mode | Salary | | --- | --- | --- | --- | | [Principal Forward Deployed Engineer](https://zerogtalent.com/defense-jobs/spruceid/principal-forward-deployed-engineer-92410) | United States / Remote (US) | Remote | $200,000 - $225,000 | | [Senior Forward Deployed Engineer](https://zerogtalent.com/defense-jobs/spruceid/senior-forward-deployed-engineer-92401) | United States / Remote (US) | Remote | $150,000 - $175,000 | | [Mobile Engineer, Digital Identity (Fully Remote)](https://zerogtalent.com/defense-jobs/spruceid/mobile-engineer-digital-identity-fully-remote-92403) | United States / Remote (US) | Remote | $120,000 - $200,000 | | [Senior Forward Deployed Engineer, Mobile](https://zerogtalent.com/defense-jobs/spruceid/senior-forward-deployed-engineer-mobile-92414) | United States / Remote (US) | Remote | $150,000 - $175,000 | | [Full-Stack Software Engineer – Remote](https://zerogtalent.com/defense-jobs/spruceid/full-stack-software-engineer-remote-92404) | United States / Remote (US) | Remote | $120,000 - $200,000 | | [Full-Stack Software Engineer (New Grad) – Remote](https://zerogtalent.com/defense-jobs/spruceid/full-stack-software-engineer-new-grad-remote-92405) | United States / Remote (US) | Remote | $110,000 - $150,000 | | [Senior Mobile Engineer](https://zerogtalent.com/defense-jobs/spruceid/senior-mobile-engineer-92416) | United States / Remote (US) | Remote | $140,000 - $180,000 | [See all open roles at SpruceID](https://zerogtalent.com/defense-companies/spruceid) --- *Source: [Zero G Talent](https://zerogtalent.com), the job board for space, defense, AI, robotics and frontier-tech companies.*