Staff Software Engineer - AI Innovations

Join our innovative team at NBCUniversal as a Staff Software Engineer specializing in AI Infrastructure and Python development. This role involves designing, building, and maintaining scalable AI systems. We seek a passionate engineer who thrives in a collaborative environment and is eager to contribute to cutting-edge projects that impact millions of users.

At Genius Sports, we combine cutting-edge technology with premier live data to revolutionize the sports experience for fans around the globe. Our mission is to create more immersive, interactive, and personalized experiences than ever before. Discover more about us at geniussports.com.The Role - Staff Engineer - Infrastructure Platform We are on the lookout for an exceptional Staff Engineer to spearhead critical projects within our core infrastructure platform. Genius Sports is currently integrating its diverse tech teams and acquisitions under a cohesive technical strategy, and our infrastructure platform is the foundation of this transformation. Our primary objective is to empower engineering teams to efficiently build, deploy, and manage Genius Sports’ extensive product catalog in a consistent manner. In this role, you will collaborate with fellow InfraPlat leaders to define and execute the technical vision and implementation across an array of projects. These initiatives encompass multi-account and region Kubernetes clusters, MLOps, standardized deployment processes, and a centralized authentication platform. You will also engage with stakeholders from product engineering teams to assess requests, identify common challenges, and prioritize initiatives.

At Scale AI, we are revolutionizing the foundation of enterprise AI. We seek a skilled Staff Infrastructure Software Engineer who will serve as the principal technical leader in developing our 'paved road' for knowledge retrieval and inference engines. In this role, you will not only oversee resources but also establish deployment standards for scalable Agentic workflows. Your goal is to connect intricate AI orchestration with top-notch infrastructure, ensuring our platform is the most dependable choice for enterprise agents.The ideal candidate will excel in a dynamic environment, demonstrate a passion for deep technical engagement and mentorship, and possess the ability to define long-term technical strategies for a crucial domain while maintaining a hands-on focus on delivery. You will design and implement solutions across multiple cloud platforms (GCP, Azure, AWS) for clients in highly regulated sectors such as healthcare, telecommunications, finance, and retail.

Harvey develops AI-driven solutions for legal and professional services, serving over 1,000 organizations in more than 60 countries. The company is growing rapidly and has strong support from leading investors. Harvey’s team values ownership, quick decision-making, and close collaboration. Engineers work side by side with leadership and customers to address practical challenges. The company operates in person in New York City and provides relocation support for new hires. Role overview The Staff Software Engineer - Core Infrastructure joins a team responsible for designing, building, and scaling Harvey’s core infrastructure. This platform handles billions of prompt tokens and millions of daily requests, forming the backbone of Harvey’s global legal AI services. The work involves both creating new systems and maintaining high operational standards. Reliability, scalability, and security are central as Harvey continues to expand its reach among top law firms and professional service providers. This is a full-time, in-person position based in New York City. Relocation assistance is available. What you will do Design and build scalable, fault-tolerant infrastructure systems that support Harvey’s AI platform across multiple cloud regions. Take ownership of and improve multi-cloud infrastructure (Azure, GCP), focusing on Kubernetes orchestration, networking, and container management. Lead technical projects in areas such as observability, incident response, and performance optimization.

About Us:At Fireworks AI, we are at the forefront of creating next-generation generative AI infrastructure. Our cutting-edge platform is recognized for delivering the highest-quality models with unparalleled speed and scalability in inference. Independently benchmarked as a leader in LLM inference speed, we drive significant advancements through innovative projects, including our proprietary function calling and multimodal models. As a Series C company valued at $4 billion and backed by leading investors such as Benchmark, Sequoia, Lightspeed, Index, and Evantic, we are a dynamic team of builders, comprised of veterans from Meta PyTorch and Google Vertex AI.The Role:We are seeking a talented Software Engineer to join our AI Infrastructure team. In this pivotal role, you will contribute to designing and developing the foundational systems that power Fireworks AI’s generative AI platform. Your focus will be on building robust infrastructure and tools that guarantee the reliability, performance, quality, and availability of our AI systems.Our mission is to establish Fireworks AI as the most dependable and user-friendly generative AI platform globally. You will collaborate closely with our cloud infrastructure, product, and performance teams to create infrastructure solutions that connect our customers with the high-performance proprietary Fireworks inference engine.Key Responsibilities:Design and develop scalable backend infrastructure supporting distributed training, inference, and data pipelines.Build and maintain essential backend services, including LLM CI/CD pipelines, control planes, and model serving systems.Enhance performance optimization, cost efficiency, and reliability across compute, storage, and networking layers.Create frameworks and safeguards to ensure Fireworks AI maintains the highest model quality in the industry.Work alongside performance, training, and product teams to translate research and product requirements into effective infrastructure solutions.Engage in code reviews, technical discussions, and continuous integration and deployment processes.

Why Join Moonshot AI?Envision a web that autonomously transforms itself to enhance sales, improve conversions, and accelerate growth.At Moonshot AI, we’re pioneering this future by integrating generative AI, extensive data processing, and innovative experimentation into a self-adaptive online ecosystem.As a well-capitalized, early-stage startup with grand ambitions, your role here transcends that of a typical employee — you’ll actively contribute to shaping the company’s technical and cultural foundation. If you've ever aspired to have the freedom of a founder while being supported by elite investors, this opportunity is for you.What You'll Create & LeadIn the position of Staff Software Engineer, you will serve as the technical cornerstone of Moonshot's evolution engine, responsible for designing scalable systems, steering engineering strategy, and mentoring your colleagues.Your work will blend hands-on expertise with high-level architectural insight, transforming visionary ideas into technical realities.You will:Innovate at the forefront of generative AI - develop systems that empower AI to autonomously reason, experiment, and implement tangible changes to the web.Architect the next generation of our experimental engine - ensuring it is scalable, observable, fault-tolerant, and capable of handling millions of daily events.Design and advance our backend infrastructure utilizing Python (Flask-RestX), serverless AWS, and various data pipelines (ClickHouse, Postgres, Kinesis, Firehose, S3).Lead technical strategy - establish our engineering principles and evolve the architecture across microservices, data ingestion, and LLM-driven systems.Mentor and uplift - enhance the skills of senior and mid-level engineers through code reviews, collaborative programming, and detailed design documentation.Collaborate across teams - partner with AI, product management, and data science to translate business objectives into robust systems.Prototype and expand boundaries - rapidly bring concepts to production while balancing experimentation with thoroughness.Enhance performance, security, and reliability as we scale towards SOC 2 certification and enterprise clientele.This role emphasizes technical leadership without the responsibilities of people management: pure design, significant leverage, and complete ownership.

Join Thread AI as an Infrastructure Software EngineerAt Thread AI, we are pioneering the development of an AI-native workflow orchestration engine. We are in search of passionate and skilled professionals eager to be a part of our expanding team. Our mission is to simplify infrastructure for enterprises and public sector organizations aiming to harness the full potential of artificial intelligence.Located in the heart of New York, our diverse team comprises seasoned experts in AI, product management, and engineering, all dedicated to crafting and implementing intricate workflows and infrastructure solutions.Our Engineering CultureWe pride ourselves on having a compact yet highly committed technical team that encompasses engineering, research, design, product, and operations. We believe that a small, empowered team with a flat organizational structure fosters rapid innovation and superior product development compared to larger, hierarchical entities.Role OverviewWe are looking for a talented software engineer with a robust background in infrastructure to contribute significantly to the scalability and reliability of our platform. The ideal candidate will support complex network topologies and should possess a deep curiosity and creativity, excelling in problem-solving within a fast-paced, ownership-driven environment.

Overview Role: Lead Software Engineer - DevOps and Infrastructure On-site role at our New York City headquarters, 5 days a week Annual base salary: $175,000 - $250,000 Equity: Competitive initial equity package along with refreshers Minimum of 3 years of relevant experience required About Stratos Labs Stratos Labs is revolutionizing commodity risk management for the $10 trillion physical economy. Our innovative platform merges real-time market data with AI-driven exposure modeling and automated trade generation, empowering operators with precise tools to manage volatility. From instantaneous trade execution to ongoing monitoring, alerts, and actionable recommendations, Stratos Labs transforms complex market risks into a seamless, always-on hedging solution. Founded in 2023 by a former macro market-maker from Barclays and a trading systems engineer from Coinbase, we have successfully raised over $20 million in funding from esteemed investors including Andreessen Horowitz (a16z), Crucible Capital, Neo, and DST Global. Key Responsibilities Manage and Optimize AWS Cloud: Take complete ownership of our AWS environment, architecting, scaling, and optimizing our cloud infrastructure to enable new services while ensuring it is cost-effective and integrated with our core trading systems. Infrastructure Architecture: Lead the transition to a full Infrastructure as Code (IaC) model by developing a sophisticated Terraform stack that eliminates manual configurations. Security and Compliance: Act as the gatekeeper for our environments, managing container security, CVE remediation, and ensuring compliance with SOC2 standards without hindering team productivity. Observability Strategy: Design a comprehensive monitoring strategy to proactively identify bottlenecks before they lead to outages. CI/CD Pipeline Refinement: Enhance our GitHub Actions and CI/CD workflows to streamline the process of deploying Go, C++, and TypeScript services from commit to production. Reliability and Incident Response: Participate in on-call rotations, conducting thorough post-mortems to ensure that recurring issues are resolved effectively.

About Us:At Fireworks AI, we are at the forefront of generative AI infrastructure innovation. We provide cutting-edge models with unmatched inference speed and scalability, establishing ourselves as leaders in the industry. Our projects include groundbreaking function calling and multimodal models, solidifying our reputation for excellence. As a Series C company valued at $4 billion, we are backed by esteemed investors such as Benchmark, Sequoia, Lightspeed, Index, and Evantic. Our dynamic team, composed of veterans from Meta PyTorch and Google Vertex AI, thrives on collaboration and ambition.The RoleJoin us in developing the fundamental systems that drive Fireworks AI, ranging from customer-centric APIs and product features to the distributed infrastructure facilitating AI workloads on a massive scale.This position is a comprehensive full-stack backend and infrastructure role. You will design systems, deliver products, and take ownership of the entire process from inception to deployment.What You’ll Work OnAPIs, web backend, and developer toolingModel training, fine-tuning, and inference orchestrationJob scheduling, autoscaling, and model servingBilling, enterprise features, and access controlCross-cloud infrastructure (compute, storage, networking)Global scale GPU cluster managementWhat You’ll DoDevelop and scale backend services and distributed systemsEnsure system reliability from design through productionCollaborate directly with customers to address real-world challengesEnhance performance, cost-effectiveness, and developer experienceRapidly implement AI tools to automate processesYou Might Be a Fit IfYou are eager to engage in the AI revolutionYou enjoy building infrastructure and backend systems that enhance productsYou think critically about systems, trade-offs, and their impactsYou demonstrate ownership and drive initiatives across teams

At Confido, we are revolutionizing the AI infrastructure that drives Consumer Packaged Goods (CPG) brands from analysis to execution. Our integrated platform streamlines cash applications, deductions, disputes, trade promotion management, forecasting, demand planning, and analytics, delivering significant time savings and enabling more intelligent financial decisions for our clients.We proudly support over 200 brands managing more than $20 billion in revenue, partnering with notable names such as OLIPOP, Simple Mills, and Dr. Squatch. With a recent $15 million Series A funding round led by Footwork Ventures and Y Combinator, we are poised for rapid growth and innovation.As a Staff Software Engineer, you will be instrumental in architecting and developing the core systems that drive the Confido platform. You will spearhead significant product and infrastructure projects, from AI-driven document processing to extensive financial analytics systems.This role offers a unique opportunity to merge technical excellence with impactful product development, collaborating closely with engineering, product teams, and clients to transform intricate operational workflows into scalable software solutions.Location: New York, NY (Relocation assistance available)

Join Virtu Financial, a premier financial technology firm at the forefront of modern trading solutions. We harness innovative technology to provide unparalleled liquidity to global markets and deliver transparent trading experiences for our clients. As a market maker, we offer deep liquidity that fosters efficiency in markets across the globe, executing trades in over 19,000 securities at more than 235 venues in 36 countries. Atlas Software Engineer Become a part of our dynamic Atlas Development team, composed of skilled software engineers dedicated to advancing Virtu's client trading infrastructure that supports a diverse client base. In your role as a Software Engineer, you will be instrumental in designing, developing, and maintaining our comprehensive trading infrastructure, which encompasses the entire trading lifecycle including order management, exchange connectivity, smart order routing, internalization, and clearing. Your responsibilities will involve enhancing existing trading systems, as well as improving the scalability, performance, and overall efficiency of our infrastructure. We seek self-motivated and passionate developers who possess a solid technical foundation and a desire to explore advanced technologies and programming languages. Strong communication skills are essential, as the ability to articulate complex technical issues is key to thriving in our collaborative culture. We offer a fast-paced and meritocratic working environment with a flat hierarchy. While a finance background is not required, you will have the opportunity to learn the intricacies of the intersection between trading and technology within the global financial landscape. Our teams are committed to continuous improvement and elevating standards; learning and teaching are fundamental to Virtu’s culture.

At Profound, we are dedicated to empowering businesses to comprehend and manage their AI presence effectively. As an Infrastructure Software Engineer, you will play a pivotal role in building and scaling the systems that facilitate our rapid expansion. Your primary focus will be on ensuring that our infrastructure is not only highly available but also cost-efficient and capable of managing significant traffic and compute demands. You will collaborate closely with engineers across product, research, and operations teams to design scalable architectures, streamline deployment processes, and enhance system observability.Your ResponsibilitiesDesign and maintain core infrastructure across diverse cloud environments.Develop infrastructure-as-code workflows to automate deployment and scaling processes.Enhance monitoring, logging, and alerting systems to ensure system reliability.Oversee CI/CD pipelines to facilitate seamless deployments.Assist in disaster recovery planning to guarantee high system availability.Collaborate with product and research teams to design architectures that can scale with increasing workload demands.Identify and resolve performance bottlenecks in compute, storage, and networking.Implement security best practices and compliance frameworks across the infrastructure.

Join Fluidstack: Pioneering the Future of IntelligenceAt Fluidstack, we're transforming the landscape of artificial intelligence infrastructure. Collaborating with leading AI research labs, government entities, and major corporations—including Mistral, Poolside, Black Forest Labs, and Meta—we are dedicated to delivering computing solutions at unprecedented speeds. Our mission is to expedite the realization of Artificial General Intelligence (AGI), and we are seeking passionate individuals who thrive on purpose and excellence.We take immense pride in the systems we develop and the trust we build with our clients. If you are ready to roll up your sleeves and contribute to shaping the future of intelligence, we invite you to join our innovative team.Position OverviewFluidstack, a prominent player in the cloud services arena, is on the lookout for a Software Engineer specializing in Infrastructure Platform Development. In this role, you will be instrumental in constructing the foundational platforms that support our global infrastructure and data center operations. Your focus will be on developing robust internal tools across various domains, including Configuration Management Database (CMDB), asset management, Data Center Infrastructure Management (DCIM), monitoring, observability, security, and operational automation. Collaborating with cross-functional teams, you will craft scalable and user-friendly solutions that enhance our ability to provide top-tier infrastructure services.Key ResponsibilitiesInfrastructure Platform DevelopmentDesign and implement a next-generation CMDB system to serve as the definitive source of truth for infrastructure assets, network architecture, and configuration data.Develop DCIM platforms for managing rack operations, server/GPU deployments, operating system installations, quality assurance, and white-screen activities.Create comprehensive asset lifecycle management systems encompassing receiving, racking, inventory, break-fix, and decommissioning workflows.Build monitoring and observability platforms that integrate telemetry from Building Management Systems (BMS), Environmental Power Monitoring Systems (EPMS), and IT devices, featuring intelligent alerting and incident management capabilities.Develop self-service portals and automation tools for new region initialization, post-deployment operations, and fleet-scale management.Operational Excellence & AutomationMinimize manual tasks through workflow automation and self-service tools that empower our operations and engineering teams.Create workflow orchestration systems to streamline complex multi-step processes that encompass incident, problem, and change management.

Join the Revolution at CheckAt Check, we transform the way people get paid, simplifying payment processes for payroll businesses. As pioneers of embedded payroll, we collaborate with our partners to redefine payroll systems, enabling businesses to launch, grow, and flourish. Discover our journey | Listen in.Check is more than just an API infrastructure; we serve as a launchpad for payroll businesses.Our TeamPayroll systems are in need of innovation. Join a passionate team dedicated to solving these challenges! At Check, your problem-solving skills, critical thinking, and determination will drive impactful changes across our projects. We view challenges as opportunities and encourage collaboration that leverages the unique strengths of every team member.If you are ready to dive in and reshape payroll, let’s work together to simplify complexities and create a brighter future for businesses of all sizes.The RoleEngineering is the backbone of Check. We envision payroll as part of modern financial software, which necessitates robust systems that our operators and partners can rely on. Every solution we develop is built on reliable, scalable, and secure systems that ensure timely payments.We are in search of a Staff Software Engineer who possesses strong software design expertise coupled with hands-on infrastructure experience. In this position, you will enhance the core systems that enable payroll operations, focusing on scalability, production efficiency, and empowering engineers with reliable tools for software deployment.You'll collaborate across product and platform teams to advance our cloud infrastructure, enhance system deployment and monitoring, and simplify the architecture underpinning embedded payroll. Your challenges will often bridge the domains of infrastructure, product, and operations.This role is perfect for individuals who have managed complex systems in dynamic environments and take pride in creating resilient, understandable infrastructure that is essential for business operations.

Standard Template Labs is an innovative startup operating in stealth mode, dedicated to revolutionizing IT Service and Configuration Management through AI technologies. Supported by prominent investors, we are at the forefront of integrating AI, graph-based architectures, and cutting-edge design to transform enterprise technology management.About the Role:We are seeking a Staff Software Engineer who excels at the crossroads of AI systems design, large-scale distributed infrastructure, and product innovation. In this role, you will spearhead technical projects that manifest AI-native functionalities—developing resilient, scalable systems that incorporate LLMs, data-driven automation, and graph intelligence into enterprise processes.This position is ideal for a hands-on leader who is not only proficient in coding but also adept at mentoring others and shaping technical strategies in an AI-centric environment.Key Responsibilities:AI-Driven Systems EngineeringCraft and implement AI-native architectures that integrate LLMs and intelligent automation into ITSM and CMDB workflows.Utilize LLMs, embeddings, and retrieval pipelines to enhance natural language interfaces, knowledge synthesis, and reasoning within our platform.Collaborate with product, design, and data teams to embed AI throughout the product experience—from backend systems to user-facing features.Technical OwnershipTake end-to-end ownership of intricate systems: design, architecture, deployment, and reliability in production.Navigate architectural choices while balancing immediate performance with long-term scalability and sustainability.Contribute to defining our AI-first engineering stack and methodologies for prompt orchestration, model integration, and continuous learning.Hands-On EngineeringDevelop clean, scalable, and testable code that pushes the boundaries of AI-enabled systems.Design and enhance distributed, event-driven systems and APIs capable of handling data and inference at scale.Perform in-depth code reviews and optimize performance across high-traffic production environments.

CVector is dedicated to revolutionizing economic optimization and AI-driven predictions across energy and manufacturing sectors.Our technology seamlessly integrates critical decision-making factors that impact cost, reliability, and profit margins, providing a unified decision layer that forecasts future scenarios, simulates potential outcomes, and optimizes operational strategies. This allows industrial plants to operate closer to their maximum economic potential daily.This position requires in-office attendance at our New York City headquarters four days a week. CVector serves clients nationwide and operates in challenging industrial environments.Role OverviewAs a Senior Software Engineer specializing in Backend and AI Infrastructure, you will be instrumental in advancing CVector’s backend platform. Your focus will be on developing time-series data systems, AI-enhanced analytics, cloud infrastructure, and data ingestion pipelines that underpin our client-facing applications and internal modeling tools.This role is ideal for engineers who thrive on working closely with data and infrastructure, possess excellent architectural judgment, and are eager to engage with AI systems, databases, and distributed backend services. You will take ownership of complex systems, lead significant technical migrations, and influence the integration of intelligence into industrial energy workflows.You will work in close collaboration with product, modeling, and frontend engineers, significantly impacting the platform's direction, reliability, and scalability for the long term.Key ResponsibilitiesAs a Senior Software Engineer, your contributions will span various interconnected domains:Intelligent SystemsTranslate customer domains and operational workflows into effective prompts and AI system interfaces.Design, implement, and refine evaluations for AI outputs.Incorporate customer feedback and reinforcement signals to enhance system performance.Optimize context selection, retrieval, and trace collection to elevate output quality.Fine-tune smaller models using collected traces to enhance speed while maintaining performance standards.Evaluate and assimilate new AI platforms and models as they emerge.Support the training and deployment of large, time-series-specific models.Backend Platform and Data InfrastructureOversee migrations and enhancements of our time-series data schemas and storage systems.Update and manage PostgreSQL and associated database infrastructure.Develop and sustain data connectors for industrial and external systems.Lead improvements to MQTT-based data ingestion pipelines.Transition PostgREST to a GraphQL-based framework and evolve our API architecture.

About AtriaAtria Health is a pioneering membership-based preventive healthcare practice that offers innovative primary and specialty care tailored to your needs. Whether you prefer the comfort of your home, one of our state-of-the-art facilities in Palm Beach or New York, or anywhere else in the globe, we bring healthcare to you.Our multidisciplinary team consists of esteemed in-house physicians dedicated to delivering proactive, preventive, and precision-based care for Atria members and their families. Our mission is to enhance both lifespan and healthspan through thorough screenings and personalized interventions aimed at preventing, reversing, or managing chronic diseases.Your healthcare journey is spearheaded by a dedicated Chief Medical Officer who collaborates with specialists across various domains, including cardiology, neurology, pediatrics, gynecology, endocrinology, and performance and movement. Our exceptional clinicians also maintain close ties with over 60 experts in the Atria Academy of Science & Medicine, who are readily available for quick consultations, support, and referrals.Role OverviewWe are currently on the lookout for a Staff Software Engineer, Agentic AI who will be instrumental in shaping and implementing emerging technologies across our Technology organization and Atria at large.This senior-level individual contributor position is designed for a technical leader and builder who is adept at not only crafting strategy but also writing production code, establishing governance frameworks, and advocating for technology adoption. You will pinpoint the most impactful opportunities to integrate agentic AI across Product, Design, and Engineering; architect and deploy systems to enhance those workflows; and set the standards for measurement, evaluation, and security, allowing us to scale with confidence.The ideal candidate will be someone who actively engages at the forefront of AI-assisted development. You should already be utilizing contemporary AI tools and agentic workflows in your daily responsibilities while continually seeking to incorporate the latest advancements.This role is not purely strategic; we seek a seasoned engineer who will create reliable systems, ensure their widespread adoption, and demonstrate tangible impact.Your initial focus will be to integrate agentic AI within Atria’s technology workflows. By collaborating with engineering, product, design, and cross-functional teams, you will identify high-leverage opportunities, determine where human oversight is essential, and establish clear metrics to validate improvements in speed, quality, and reliability. Once successful systems are established within the Technology organization, you will explore and promote transformative applications of agentic AI across other facets of Atria.

Join Privy as a Senior Infrastructure Engineer and play a pivotal role in shaping the future of online privacy and user ownership. Our team is dedicated to creating innovative developer tools that prioritize users, leveraging cutting-edge cryptography to redefine digital ownership. You will collaborate with a passionate engineering team to design and manage robust multi-tenant infrastructures that support billions of requests monthly, ensuring high performance and reliability across our services.

Scribd, Inc. brings together products like Scribd®, Slideshare®, Everand™, and Fable, all focused on moving people beyond basic access to information toward deeper understanding and hands-on expertise. Workplace Culture Authenticity and bold thinking shape daily work at Scribd. The team values open debate, welcomes fresh challenges, and keeps customer needs central to decisions. Through the Scribd Flex program, employees enjoy a blend of remote work and intentional in-person gatherings. While most tasks happen remotely, occasional onsite meetings help strengthen collaboration and community ties. Scribd seeks individuals who demonstrate “GRIT”: passion and perseverance in pursuit of long-term goals. This mindset guides how teams set objectives, deliver on commitments, and solve problems together. Developer Tooling Team This group designs and maintains the tools, frameworks, and platforms that support Scribd’s engineers throughout the software development lifecycle. Their work includes updating infrastructure, refining build and deployment processes, and introducing collaborative AI features that enable developers to work with AI agents. These efforts directly improve productivity and enhance the developer experience across the company. Role overview The Staff Software Engineer for the AI Developer Platform plays a key role in shaping how Scribd approaches software development in an AI-first environment. This position sets the technical direction for the agentic engineering platform, guiding hundreds of engineers as they use coding agents to write, review, and deploy code across Scribd’s technology stack. The role also focuses on improving the development environment to enable effective collaboration between AI agents and human engineers. Developing the agentic engineering strategy requires close partnership with senior leadership to ensure alignment with company goals.