A member of the so-called Department of Government Efficiency has started work at the U.S. Department of Energy, according to a person familiar with DOGE's operations.

DOGE staffers work with their assigned departments as government employees, with the appropriate legal permission and security clearances, the person told Scripps News.

But there are few details at this stage as to what level of access the employee has and what work they are attempting to accomplish at the Department of Energy.

Reporting from multiple outlets — which Scripps News has not yet independently confirmed — identified the staffer as 23-year-old Luke Farritor, who previously worked as an intern for billionaire Elon Musk's SpaceX. He is one of several young engineers identified as working in various capacities for DOGE, which have been reported to include advisory positions and code review of government engineers.

In recent days DOGE has gained access to computer systems and potentially sensitive or classified material at agencies including the General Services Administration, the Office of Personnel Management, the U.S. Treasury, the U.S. Agency for International Development and now the Department of Energy.

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The Department of Government Efficiency is enabled via executive order from President Donald Trump, charged with "modernizing Federal technology and software to maximize governmental efficiency and productivity." The order directs all relevant government agencies to establish teams of DOGE representatives.

But the scope and murkiness of DOGE's work has triggered repeated questions from lawmakers, lawsuits from government worker unions and nonprofits and mass protests near the U.S. Capitol.

"Given the legal requirements to handle classified, sensitive, and personally identifiable information, we seek a swift explanation of how DOGE personnel’s intrusion into and access to secure government spaces, data, and information systems comport with U.S. law and national security interests," lawmakers said in a letter to President Trump this week, in which they asked him to explain the specifics of Musk and DOGE's work at federal agencies. "DOGE’s current approach appears to pose enormous risks to national security and to the privacy and civil liberties of Americans."

On Wednesday, Democratic members of the House Oversight and Government Reform Committee attempted to subpoena Musk to answer questions under oath about DOGE's work. Republican members of the committee blocked the motion.