Big Job for “Big Balls” Coristine, DOGE Member & Rye Country Day ‘24 Grad 

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Edward Coristine, the Rye Country Day School ’24 graduate and Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE) team member who goes by the self declared nickname name “Big Balls”, has joined the federal government bureaucracy full time.  

The 19-year-old software engineer and college student was brought on as a temporary special government employee in February 2025 as part of Elon Musk’s DOGE push. Coristine was converted to a full-time senior advisor at the General Services Administration (GSA) on May 31, 2025, attaining the GS-15 pay grade—the highest level for federal employees. The news was originally reported by Wired.com on Wednesday. 

The GS-15 pay grade encompasses a salary range that varies based on location and specific qualifications. While exact figures for Coristine’s salary haven’t been publicly disclosed, GS-15 positions typically offer annual salaries ranging from approximately $144,000 to $195,000.

Since joining DOGE, Coristine has been featured on FOX news and spoofed on Saturday Night Live.

Roles and Responsibilities within DOGE

Coristine has been involved in DOGE’s mission to streamline federal operations and reduce government spending. His work has spanned multiple agencies, including the Department of Homeland Security (DHS), the Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency (CISA), the State Department, the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA), and the Office of Personnel Management (OPM). Coristine has focused on analyzing government payment systems to identify inefficiencies and potential fraud. Coristine has reportedly been one of the leaders of the initiative related to President Donald Trump’s “gold card” visas that are sold for $5 million according to Wired.

Controversies and Background

Coristine’s rapid rise and significant access to sensitive government systems have raised concerns, particularly given his past associations. Before joining DOGE, he briefly worked at Neuralink and ran a company called DiamondCDN, which provided services to a cybercriminal group known as EGodly. This group was implicated in activities such as data theft and harassment of law enforcement officials 

Additionally, Coristine was previously fired from an internship at Path Network for allegedly leaking internal company information to a competitor. These incidents have led to scrutiny over his suitability for roles involving access to critical cybersecurity infrastructure.