Employee Spotlight: Ryan Gatchalian

Tell us about yourself and how long you’ve been with Optimal Dynamics.

My name is Ryan Gatchalian and I’m a Software Engineer at Optimal Dynamics, based in New Jersey. I originally joined the company’s Partner Integrations team back in July 2021, and now am a part of our Data Engineering team.

Can you summarize your job in one sentence?

As a Software Engineer on the Data Engineering team, my primary focus is on managing the storage and transformation of our customers' data, ensuring seamless ingestion by our engine.

What inspired you the most to join Optimal Dynamics?

I was excited to be able to work in a start-up harnessing AI technology in the logistics industry. My initial interest in working with AI technology was met, and meeting the team at Optimal Dynamics fulfilled my desire to collaborate with brilliant and inspiring individuals.

What do you like best about our company culture?

What I like best about our company culture at Optimal Dynamics is the collaborative and innovative environment. Everyone is encouraged to share ideas and work together across all teams to solve complex issues. The team’s dedication to excellence and continuous improvement fosters a sense of community and drives me to continue doing my best.

What is unique about what we do at Optimal Dynamics?

Optimal Dynamics stands out with its advanced AI-powered engine that not only optimizes logistics operations but also predicts future network scenarios. By leveraging cutting-edge technology, we're reshaping the logistics landscape, offering unprecedented efficiency and automation to our customers.

What is your favorite part of your job?

I take pleasure in addressing the diverse challenges presented by each customer and developing solutions that deliver significant value. Collaborating closely with my colleagues enhances the problem-solving process, making it both productive and enjoyable.

How does your work impact our product, and, therefore, the industry? 

On the Data Engineering team, I facilitate the ingestion of diverse customer data into our engine. By optimizing this process, we ensure more precise and efficient outcomes, enabling our customers to leverage our product with greater accuracy and experience faster results.

What have been your biggest accomplishments on our team, and what was the impact on the product/company?

I’ve had the opportunity to spearhead the development of our company’s first external API that allows customers to provide their data to us directly, in place of integrating with third-party TMS systems or SFTP workflows. This innovation has streamlined data integration processes, enhancing efficiency, speed to value, and overall customer satisfaction.

How have you grown professionally while on our team?

At Optimal Dynamics, my involvement in a wide variety of projects on multiple teams has accelerated my growth in engineering, enabling me to autonomously take on new projects to successful completion with impressive outcomes.

What do you like to do in your free time?

In my free time I enjoy trying out new hobbies like bouldering, alongside revisiting old hobbies such as volleyball and bowling. When being active gets too tiring, I enjoy playing video games with friends and watching shows.

Can you share a hidden talent that no one knows about you?

I used to, and for emergencies, give pretty solid haircuts! I learned back in high school after my friends and I had to receive haircuts that were way too short. I decided to learn to prevent that from ever needing to happen again! On the bright side, it definitely was a useful skill in high school and college.

What’s the best advice you can give to someone who wants to work at Optimal Dynamics?

Be open-minded and don’t be afraid to ask questions! Everyone here is a pleasure to learn from and amazing to collaborate with.