Employee Spotlight: Ren Victorio
Tell us about yourself and how long you've been with Optimal Dynamics.
My name is Ren Victorio, and I've been at Optimal Dynamics for nearly five years. I started as a software engineer on the Product team and am currently a Tech Lead Manager on the Data Engineering team. I live in Brooklyn, New York.
Can you briefly summarize your job?
As a Tech Lead Manager of Data Engineering at Optimal Dynamics, my team and I build, maintain, and design how data flows through and is accessed across the platform.
What inspired you the most to join Optimal Dynamics?
The opportunity to make a real impact on an industry. Trucking touches nearly every part of the economy, and the chance to help build tools that meaningfully improve decision-making in that space was genuinely exciting.
What do you like best about our company culture?
Optimal Dynamics has a strong drive for innovation while still treating the team as people. Leadership communicates openly and consistently, and everyone has space to share ideas.
What is unique about what we do at Optimal Dynamics?
Our optimization solution is one of a kind, but what really stands out is how closely our internal teams work with customers. Even in a role like mine that isn't customer-facing day to day, the work is directly informed by what customers actually need. There's a short path between real-world problems and what we build.
What is your favorite part of your job?
I love getting opportunities to solve different, interesting problems using a variety of tools, while also learning more about the industry. There's a lot of satisfaction in working through the unique challenges each customer brings.
How does your work impact our product, and, therefore, the industry?
Optimal Dynamics' goal is to help people in the industry make better, more informed decisions, and data drives those decisions. A major part of data engineering's job is mapping, cleaning, and transforming raw data so it can be consumed across the company - by our machine learning algorithms, our optimization engine, the product itself, and business analytics. That naturally means we work with nearly every team. When we do our job well, the rest of the organization can do theirs more effectively. Ultimately, our customers get the reliable insights they need to act with confidence.
What have been your biggest accomplishments on our team, and what was the impact on the company?
Having worked on both the Product and Data Engineering sides of OD, I've had the chance to contribute across the platform. That has given me a broader view of how everything comes together. One accomplishment I'm especially proud of is the work behind Atlas, which gives users visibility into how a decision was made. They are not just receiving a recommendation, they understand the reasoning behind it. I'm also proud of the work we've done optimizing our mapping performance, which sped up data delivery to customers. Together, these efforts help customers make faster, more transparent, and more confident decisions.
How have you grown professionally while on our team?
I started at OD as a Senior Software Engineer and have since grown into a Tech Lead Manager role. Along the way, I've picked up a lot of knowledge and new skills, but the growth I value most has been learning how to work with people who each bring their own traits and personalities. I have learned how to bring out the best in one another.
What do you like to do in your free time?
In my free time, you can find me on the dance floor at a salsa party or riding down the slopes on my snowboard. I have a very public passion for fitness and athletics. I'm a former rowing coach, former competitive weightlifter, and current marathon runner. I love racquet sports, especially tennis.
I also love to travel both alone and with a group. I think you learn a lot about yourself and the world when interacting with strangers across different environments and cultures. The world is simply too expansive and beautiful not to spend our lives exploring it. My dog, Badger, loves to come with me when possible, too. Next stop, Banff!
Can you share a hidden talent no one knows about you?
I love singing, much to the annoyance of my neighbors. I've been told by some that I'm a good singer, but I'll let listeners be the judge. I'm always up for a karaoke night.
What's the best advice you can give to someone who wants to work at Optimal Dynamics?
Come with ideas and share them, keep your mind open, and be ready to make an impact.
