Spring has sprung in Austin, which can mean only one thing: its time for the many-hyphenated SXSW Festival! A strange, wonderful, and wholly Austin intersection of music, technology, games, and of course film and television, this festival in many ways kicks off the next years itinerary in culture and fun. But there is so much to do down Texas way that it can be a bit overwhelming to know what to see and look out for.For that reason, weve assembled this preview for some of the films you should probably have on your radar for the festivities. Enjoy!Amazon Prime VideoHollandNicole Kidman and Matthew Macfayden are coming to SXSW! Unto itself, that is exciting news, but to know it is in a new twisty thriller from director Mimi Cave (the helmer of Fresh) just makes Holland seem ever so much more delicious and menacing.In the film, Kidman and Macfayden play an idyllic married couple, with Kidmans Nancy finding time to be both an astute teacher and a happy homemaker for her husband and son Harry (Jude Hill). Meanwhile, Macfaydens Fred is a veritable pillar of the community. However, no picture is ever really perfect if you look at whats outside the framing. And when fellow teacher Dave (Gael Garca Bernal) comes to Nancy with a secret that might implicate their whole way of life, a chain of events begins from which there will be no hiding.Fantasy Life Productions LLCFantasy LifeAmanda Peet makes an overdue return to the big screen in Fantasy Life, a new in-competition narrative dramedy from actor-turned-director Matthew Shear. In the film, Shear plays Sam, a recently laid-off paralegal who finds himself working as a babysitter for Dianne (Peet), an actress running into some challenging times after taking time off to raise a family. But when Sam is invited to join her family for the summer in Marthas Vineyard, complications ensue.The film has all the makings of an adult-leaning dramedy from a writer-director whos worked a long time in Noah Baumbachs repertoire. Fantasy Life additionally holds the distinction of being Alessandro Nivolas first film after amazing work in The Brutalist and Kraven the Hunter (yes, were serious about the latter). This time, Nivola plays an aging rock star bassist whos often on tour and perhaps in for the vacation of a lifetime.Searchlight PicturesODessaGeremy Jasper made a splash at Sundance and SXSW in 2017 with his wildly original character study, Patti Cake$, and now hes in Austin for something described as no less than a rock opera. Thats right, ODessa, which will have its world premiere here, is expected to be a full-throated, electric-strumming musical from the guy who helmed Florence + the Machines Dog Days Are Over music video.ODessa stars Stranger Things breakout and All Too Well muse Sadie Sink as a farm girl headed to the big city. Shes leaving home to recover a family heirloom, but what she will discover is her destiny and the power of true love, song, and, of course, rock. She will also run into a murderers row of talent that includes Kelvin Harrison Jr. (Luce, Waves), Murray Bartlett (The White Lotus), and Regina Hall (Girls Trip).Jessie CohenThe BaltimoronsLegendary indie filmmakers and actors the Duplass Brothers are always a must-see engagement at any film festival, even when theres only one of them attending. This time around its Jay Duplass turn to shine as he co-writes and directs The Baltimorons.Not to be confused with a Baltimore Orioles fan podcast of the same name, The Balitmorons follows a newly sober man named Cliff who cracks his tooth on Christmas Eve and embarks on an adventure through Baltimore with Didi, his emergency dentist.Rocket Power LLCThe AstronautAs one of several films featuring Kate Mara at this South By festival, The Astronaut puts the Black Mirror star in the role of Lt. Sam Walker, the eponymous starwoman who is at the tail-end of her trip around orbit. Yet upon returning home, Sam becomes convinced that something extraterrestrial has followed her back to Earth.Join our mailing listGet the best of Den of Geek delivered right to your inbox!Its an intriguing premise that offers paranoia, dread, and a genre-ready way to examine concepts of identity and self. It is also a chance for Mara to return to space after starring in one of the best astronaut movies, The Martian. The film marks the feature directorial debut of Jess Varley and also stars Ivana Milicevic and the Laurence Fishburne.RLJE Films and ShudderAshDistant planets. Decimated crews. Sci-fi mysteries within enigmas. These are some of our favorite things, and theyre arriving in force via Ash, the latest directorial effort from multi-hyphenated talent Flying Lotus. Indeed, the sometime music producer, DJ, and rapper is again trying on his genre hat with this space opera throwback in which a woman wakes up on an alien world to discover her crew has been brutally slaughtered and that she has no memory as to how.The film stars Eiza Gonzlez as Riya, a boon for anyone who witnessed her steal scenes in Michael Bays Ambulance and wanted to see the Mexican actor get more leading roles. Ash also features Breaking Bads Aaron Paul as a mysterious man who shows up in deep space and tells Riya that he has come to answer a distress call. But in space, everyone can hear you second-guess and doubt others.Jared RaabNirvanna the Band the Show the MovieSouth By veterans should adore Matt Johnson after his 2023 movie BlackBerry, a funny and thoughtful biopic about the infamous handheld device. Off the strength of co-writing, directing, and co-starring in that movie, Johnsons ready to raise that credibility with Nirvanna the Band the Show the Movie.Since 2007, Johnson and co-creator Jay McCarrol have created shorts about themselves as hapless musicians in Nirvanna the Band, a concept they parlayed into the TV series Nirvanna the Band the Show. Nirvanna the Band the Movie ups the stakes by showing the duo finally getting their holy graila gig at Toronto hot spot the Rivolionly to get sent back in time to 2008. Alt-comedy hijinks are sure to ensue.JULIE VRABELOVAHallow RoadThe phone call that changes everything. Its a fear were all familiar with in our modern era of technological interconnectedness. And its a fear that Babak Anvaris Hallow Road seeks to explore.Rosamund Pike and Matthew Rhys star in this thriller in which two parents receive a late-night phone call from their daughter who says she caused a tragic car accident. Shot in Czechia and Ireland, Hallow Road brings an international flair to SXSWs Midnighters lineup.Good BoyGood BoyThere have been plenty of ghost stories about children who see dead people, video cameras that record them, and even Ouija boards that communicate with spirits and spooks. Yet for anyone whos ever owned a dog or cat that startles itself at midnight and gets distracted while staring into the dark, its a bit odd to realize no ones explored what is going on during this hour of the wolf. Until now.Ben Leonberg makes his feature debut in this midnighter with a wicked setup about why your pet fixates on empty corners, refuses to go in the basement, and inexplicably barks at nothing. And you can bet its nothing good in a movie with a logline that promises no talking pets, just terrifying scares.RLJE Films and ShudderClown in a CornfieldIf one had to speculate about where horror trends are headed in the 2020s, we might guess that the movie monster is back. In which case, Shudder and RLJE Films could have the next creature featuring in your nightmares via Frendo the Clown. See, Frendo was once the benevolent idol of his community, a symbol that stood as shorthand for the happy lives of Midwestern town Kettle Springs.But after Kettle Springs corn syrup factory burns down and long-simmering tensions among neighbors boil over, guess whos there to set things right? Ol Frendo again, now a smiling clown who comes in from the cornfields to cleanse this town of its burdens, one screaming victim at a time.

People think its just questions and answers. Its not just questions and answers. The best TV quiz shows are places you drop into that feel instantly like home. Theyre a school common room, or a friends sofa, or your local pub somewhere familiar and unchanging that lets you relax and know that you belong with questions and answers.But, forgive the repetition, not just any old questions and answers. Writing quizzes is an art. Its a fight that your opponent wants you to win, but not without working up a bit of a sweat first. The best quiz questions are as satisfying as jokes, and often, as funny too. Some of the UKs finest gag writers are currently building question banks for TV quizzes. After all, who understands the suspense/revelation sweet spot better than a quiz setter?Then there are the hosts, the kings, queens and court jesters whose presence is as reassuring as the repeating format of the quiz itself. Their personality warm and funny, cutting and dry, or anything in between establishes the mood. They can be a kindly headmaster or pom-pom shaking cheerleader for the contestants, and for the viewer at home. Crucially, the best TV quiz shows not only acknowledge the invisible contestants playing along at home, but they extend a hand to them. Whatever the speedboat or jackpot total on offer, the real prize of a TV quiz is the feeling of belonging to a tribe who know that the Volga is the longest river in Europe and that James Newell Osterberg Jr. is otherwise known as Iggy Pop.A bit of housekeeping. The list below only includes quiz shows that revolve around the asking and answering of trivia questions, not TV game shows that revolve around other challenges (Countdown, The Crystal Maze, Bullseye) or panel-style shows that revolve around comedy (QI, Taskmaster). Please give them a warm round of applause!13. Going For GoldBBC Ones Going for Gold now seems oddly utopian and a product of a different time. Its premise, which welcomed contestants each from different European countries, was inherently pro-EU, pro-intellectual, and pro-civility, all stances that have taken a public bashing in the Brexit era. The prize for the 1995 final wasnt a jet ski or a cash jackpot, for instance, but a 2 coin specially minted to celebrate 50 years of peace in Europe.It may well have been the classiest quiz show ever made, thanks to the avuncular presence of former political journalist Henry Kelly, who passed away aged 78 earlier this year. No clown, but always warmly encouraging, Kelly was a reassuring presence and a steady hand who, youd imagine, never needed a producer to provide the phonetic pronunciations of highbrow and rarefied question terms. He could probably verify the questions as he read them out, in fact. He could certainly answer them, which is something you always want to be able to believe about a quiz show presenter.Add to that a theme song written by movie maestro Hans Zimmer, and other prizes including a decanter and glass set (inspiration, surely for the same now offered tongue-in-cheek by Richard Osmans House of Games), this was high-calibre TV quizzing, and the most improving show to watch after the lunchtime Neighbours slot.12. The Weakest Link So iconic it not only spawned countless international remakes but also a robot parody on Doctor Who, The Weakest Link pretty much has it all: solid gameplay, good join-in-ability, and a social element that feels very early-aughts in which the contestants can gang up on each other and eliminate outsiders (with little else to go on, they almost always vote off people standing the furthest away from them because human beings are simple creatures and cling to arbitrary groupings like Anne Robinson clung to that hairdo).Its a great show, with questions ranging from the insultingly easy (Which C is eaten by the biscuit-loving monster on Sesame Street) to classic quiz fare (Which is the longest river in China?). Speaking of insults, Anne Robinsons original presenting stint was defined by them, and featured quite a few that wouldnt fly now. Current host Romesh Ranganathan has the right balance of withering disappointment and matey banter.11. Fifteen to OneAka the no-messing-around trivia-based quiz show for trivia quiz fans who dont like messing around. Frustrated by banter and What would you spend the money on? filler in TV quizzes? Then its suave gentleman William Gladstone Stewart you need. William G was all questions, all the time. Its not that he didnt care where contestants liked to go on their holidays, its just that Fifteen to One wasnt the time or place for that kind of inanity.Unlike several quiz shows on this list, the many-years-later revival hosted by Sandi Toksvig (another presenter in whose ability to win the quiz if ever called upon to play you could have total confidence) didnt lose any of the magic. Its the no-nonsense quiz show so good that former contestant Trevor Montague famously wore a disguise and went on a second time under a fake name, something he later had to defend himself against done in court.Join our mailing listGet the best of Den of Geek delivered right to your inbox!10. BlockbustersIts impossible to separate Blockbusters (the original, not the revival or comedy versions) from its lore: the gag of contestants asking suave presenter Bob Holness: Can I have a P, please Bob?, the audience hand-jive performed over the closing credits, the urban myths about Holness having played saxophone on Gerry Raffertys Baker Street (he didnt) and having once played James Bond in the 1950s (he did, on radio) Underneath all that and the 1980s nostalgia though, stands a strong format that gave a stage to young quizzers.Imported from the US with the alteration that the contestants were school pupils aged between 16 and 18 (think of it as a feeder for University Challenge), Blockbusters involved a pair of quizzers going against a solo competitor. The aim was to create a Connect 4-like chain of correct answers, each with its initials provided as a clue, connecting two sides of a hexagonal board before your opponent(s) did the same. That done, it was time for the famous Gold Run a solo repeat with the eventual chance of a prize. The gameplay worked, the questions were well calibrated, and the kids were impressively knowledgeable, if all quite posh. A classic.What a concept! A Crosby, Stills, Nash & Young-style supergroup, but for quizzing. Eggheads didnt just have a slick presenter posing questions to hopefuls, it had pre-made quiz teams face off against, to quote OG host Dermot Murnaghan, the greatest quiz team in Britain, made up of the winners of previous TV quizzes. First individually and then with as many as were left after the head-to-head rounds, groups of ordinary quizzers took on the might of the Eggheads and usually lost.The original Eggheads Five of Chris, Kevin, Daphne, CJ and Judith were a legendary line-up the Avengers or X-Men of the quizzing world. After their 2003 2008 heyday, the show diluted the pool with new, rotating members, but it was never quite the same, like a world-famous rock group touring under the same name but with only the original drummer. After Eggheads moved to Channel 5 in 2021, it floundered and isnt expected to return in the near future, but for a good long while, it was appointment teatime viewing feat. quizzing royalty. Rest in peace, Chris Hughes.8. Richard Osmans House of GamesIf the contestants are celebrities, does it count as a bonafide quiz show? Absolutely. Richard Osmans House of Games has questions, buzzers, an array of 1970s-style prizes fresh off the Generation Game conveyor belt and however much of a lark it may be, its not an 8 Out of 10 Cats or Shooting Stars-style comedy. These people have come to play (apart from Patsy Kensit, who didnt know why shed come.)Despite its title, House of Games isnt a game show either. Its a buzz when you know the correct answer quiz show blending trivia with puzzles, much like the highest-placing show in this list but a great deal easier. With the exception of the round in which they have to guess how many post boxes there are in Venezuela, some of the questions here are so simple you start to feel bad for the celebrities and what it must be doing to their notoriously fragile self-esteem to be presented with the name-this-dessert anagram YJELL as if thats all they can manage. Spoiler: some of them cant manage. Great show though. Cleverly written and lots and lots of fun.7. University ChallengeThe Weakest Link was notable for being parodied on just Doctor Who, but University Challenge has been parodied, and referenced, everywhere from The Young Ones to David Nicholls novel (later turned into a film) Starter For Ten to many, many more.Like Mastermind and Who Wants to Be a Millionaire?, this format is imprinted on the national consciousness. The jaunty string score, the team-stacked-on-top-of-team visual, Bamber Gascoignes good-natured posh drawl, Jeremy Paxmans pantomime scorn, and now Amol Rajans empathetic commiserations and proud-dad celebrations As TV quizzes go, this is a fixture. Its been around since 1962 and will probably be around until the questions are asked by an AI to other student-AIs. Its rarefied and difficult and hugely specialist, and since it was imported from the US format College Bowl, its been part of life in the UK.6. The 1% ClubSometimes its the format that really works, sometimes its the host, and in the case of The 1% Club, its both. Lee Mack was born to present this quiz show, which spends an ITV hour whittling down 100 contestants to the very few able to correctly answer a question that only the top 1% of those polled could get right. What makes The 1% Club such great viewing is its playability at home. Hang on a minute! everybody thinks at around the halfway point when most of the questions rely solely on your ability to read while not getting flustered, Am I secretly a genius?! Probably not, sadly, but its always fun to imagine.Lee Macks marshalling of events is exemplary. He chats with players whove given right or wrong answers, building up storylines and relationships as he goes. Its warm, its sharp, its entertaining, and its interactive in a very natural way. Note to self: pausing the TV on the various puzzles to give yourself more thinking time is cheating but is also allowed if youve had a tough week.5. Who Wants to Be a MillionaireIts part of our cultural fabric. A mega ratings hit when it first arrived, and one that spawned multiple international versions as well as a huge Danny Boyle movie, a courtroom scandal, an acclaimed play by James Graham and a TV adaptation, Who Wants to Be a Millionaire? made quiz shows prime-time viewing. And it did it with just one ingredient: drama.The lighting, the music, the chair, the close-ups, Chris Tarrants final answer? Who Wants to Be a Millionaire? played everything for dramatic impact. It was all about life-or-death decision making, crushing disappointment and jubilant highs. The producers made sure that we saw the whites of the contestants eyes and every drop of sweat that ran down their brow as they inwardly battled with whether to trust their mate Steve with an answer that could pay off their mortgage. It reminded people that to be compelling, quiz shows dont need bells and whistles, just questions, human stories, and high stakes.4. MastermindApart from anything else, Mastermind has a terrific origin story in apparently having being inspired by creator Bill Wrights experience being interrogated by the Gestapo during the Second World War. The dark studio, ominous atmosphere, aggressive spotlights, scary music everything is designed to put contestants on edge, and boy, does it work. Manys the time that a player has padded over to that black leather chair ready to dazzle with their knowledge of the life and works of John Singer Sargent, only for the fear and inability to recall a single effing thing to kick in the moment the lights drop and the theme (aptly titled Approaching Menace) starts.The addition of a general knowledge round to its famous specialist subjects makes Mastermind playable at home, where the shows chief joys are boggling at the cleverness of some people and feeling schadenfreude at the ones who react to the questions like rabbits caught in headlights. To call this quiz show iconic is no overstatement.3. PointlessBack to the idea of quiz shows being the friendly school common rooms of television, a round of applause for Pointless, one of the most reassuring, comforting places in which to spend your screen time. The stakes are as low as the jackpots on this BBC quiz hosted with easeful charm by Alexander Armstrong (formerly with his Pointless Friend Richard Osman, and now with a revolving carousel of likeable names in the assistant seat).Its a remarkable premise because its totally inclusive. Pretty much anybody can give an answer to one of its questions, but the more obscure the answer, the higher the reward. In other words: the whole family can play but only Uncle Derek who collects bottle tops from special edition Pepsi bottles is ever likely to win. Pointless celebrates dredged-up knowledge and cunningly retained facts, and does it all with the unthreatening loveliness of a teatime buttery toasted crumpet. 2. The ChaseLike Lee Mack in his wake, Bradley Mr Showbiz Walsh is the comedy glue holding this brilliantly structured quiz show together. Walsh ensures that things stay light-hearted as contestants go head-to-head with a roster of pantomime villains The Chasers. If the Eggheads were The Avengers, then The Chasers are The Sinister Six, baddies hell-bent on crushing the quizzing dreams of Sue from Derby, who if she won would spend the money on a new greenhouse, Bradley.Unlike Eggheads, The Chase allocates players to a random team of people they hadnt met until their paths crossed over a Styrofoam cup of Earl Grey in the green room. Any money they might win depends on the performance, and cockiness, of the other players, which creates some interesting social dynamics as contestants try to look kind and supportive while really protecting their own interests. Each player has the choice of gambling however much money theyve banked in the quickfire round to potentially bring more back to the communal pot, which is only won if the team answer more questions correctly than their chaser inside two minutes. Its fun and accessible with excitingly high prize funds, and led by a true pro. The ultimate everybodys-welcome quiz show.1. Only ConnectFrom everybodys-welcome to everybodys-baffled. Only one show could top a list celebrating the quizzing art: Only Connect is the don. Its the queen. Its the quizzers quiz. Its questions, in which teams of three have to discern the connections, predict whats next, and group together apparently unrelated items, are things of beauty. Learned, devious, cheeky and often with punchlines better than most acts on Live at the Apollo, its questions are the crme de la crme of British quiz show questions.Presented by the brilliantly erudite, waspish yet encouraging Victoria Coren-Mitchell, Only Connect is a den of weird and wonderful minds who arent always celebrated in this, the Protein Powder age. Its unashamedly difficult and knowingly devilish, but because rather than despite this, its a cult hero. Its beloved of a solid core of people drawn there because they dont always belong anywhere else.The shows only drawback is the format, in which all the hard work of the previous three rounds can be blown apart by the high number of points available in the final Missing Vowels round when one talented missing-vowelist can unbalance a whole result. Never mind, because despite being highly competitive, the teams here shine when showing their workings. These people are wonders and Only Connect is the only place on TV that real quizzers are really challenged. Rarefied, off-puttingly hard, and totally brilliant, may it never end.

My personal experience with Atomfall improved tenfold the moment I stopped trying to follow the quest line in a traditional sense. This might sound weird, but stay with me. During a recent hands-on session, we had the chance to explore a section of Atomfall ahead of its launch later this month, and get to grips with how the game redefines traditional RPG questing.Atomfall takes place in an alternate version of a 1960s Cumbria, UK, and presents a fictionalized retelling of events following the real-life Windscale Atom plant disaster. Five years later, the surrounding area is still designated as a quarantine zone, and its up to you to uncover whats happening.Your goal first and foremost is survival in this place, which is overrun by outlaws, possibly possessed druids, remnants of aggressive law enforcement and thats just the human presence. The disaster has also birthed a whole host of nuclear oddities in my 90 minutes of playtime I stumbled across a swarm of pulsating violet bees, a mysterious long-necked creature poking out of a pond, and a man bound inside a wickerman with glowing mushrooms spewing out of his chest cavity. All of these discoveries present enchanting narrative threads to unravel, but the first order of business is staying alive.Survival is tough and these hills are unforgiving, but youll be rewarded for exploring. During my first druid encounter, I lurched straight in with a cricket bat and landed several satisfying blows before being immediately humbled by the surprising power of a few hardened hatchet-wielding menaces. Things got a little easier after picking up a bow, which allowed me to quickly and quietly pick off baddies with alacrity, each arrow landing with a confident thunk into unsuspecting victims. Ammo is scarce, which meant every kill at range needed to be calculated I prioritised taking down fellow bow wielders in a group, before sieging any leftover enemies with whatever blunt weapon I had to hand (and then scavenging as many used arrows as I could).Youll be able to loot most basic supplies from enemies, and it helps immensely to keep entirely stocked up on the materials needed to craft healing items. Enemies deal surprisingly high damage and its quite easy to injure yourself falling off a small ledge or wandering into a poisoned area. Eating food also helps with health, and the option to snaffle a quick tin of unbranded canned meat straight off the floor came in extremely handy for quick health top-ups.The results were often messy and unpredictable, but it gives Atomfall a gritter edge than many of its peers. I dont feel more powerful or tooled up than anyone else in the vicinity, which leads to careful planning, and chaotic, entertaining outcomes. This doesnt just apply to combat, but also to how Atomfall leads you down a string of quests, not with actionable objectives, but with narrative clues and leads that you have to piece together yourself.This is a particularly unique approach to the concept of quests; Atomfall doesnt just chuck a bunch of skippable dialogue and a waypoint at you, it instead opts to let you discover where to go, how to approach your mission, and how rigidly you want to stick to the task at hand. In one section, while hunting down a book for someone, I stumbled across a large battery, its use unknown according to my characters notes after collecting it. Instead of being given a new direction, a nearby phonebox rang ominously, with a mysterious voice telling me that Ill need to find more for a purpose Im yet to uncover.In that same area, I discovered a dead body with a note that led me to the rough location of another point of interest somewhere else on the map. After hitting a wall with my hunt for the book (I accidentally went to the wrong place, as it happens) I had a choice here continue wandering around a location aimlessly, or follow this entirely new lead. In the interest of preview time, I chose the latter, which took me to an old manor and introduced me to a quirky old woman living within. Amid this dilapidated old house full of rotting food, broken furniture and mold, a kindly old woman assures me everything is fine and normal, and that her sister is busy attending to some tasks. Leaning into this characters belief led me to discover her sisters skeleton hidden in a locked room, and onto a path of odd investigation that uncovered more about Atomfalls overarching narrative.In this instance, Ive not deviated from a main objective, Ive followed a lead that has given me more information about the story, enhancing the journey that Im on. This method of discovery also breeds a certain uneasiness, as you meet characters that arent necessarily bad, but more, normal people that have been extremely damaged by the catastrophic events theyre living through. Brilliantly, Rebellion promises that every lead in the game, no matter how obscure, can lead you to another, all converging around the games central mystery. Think of it as beginning to piece together your own detectives corkboard the red string just keeps on coming.And those leads are everywhere. Not unlike this years Avowed, having a keen eye and ear for a lead really is the heart of this game those who engage and follow their instincts will find that theres so much to discover. As if to prove that point, my colleague, playing the same build, at the same time, had a completely different experience of the demo to me.Youre not here to pick a mission, see it to completion and then move on to the next one new leads can pop up anywhere, they may take you in a completely different direction, and youll not always be able to confidently discern what the right path is. Atomfall lets your detective instincts take the wheel as you vacuum up every piece of information presented, never leaving you aimless, but refusing to hold your hand as you blunder (in my case) through its landscape in pursuit of a bigger truth.Weve only scratched the surface of what appears to be a captivating story, but youll be able to fully explore the rolling nuclear hills of Cumbria at your leisure when Atomfall launches on March 27. Play it on Xbox Series X|S, Xbox One, Windows PC, and day one with Game Pass.AtomfallRebellionGet it nowA survival-action game inspired by real-life events, Atomfall is set five years after the Windscale nuclear disaster in Northern England.Explore the fictional quarantine zone, scavenge, craft, barter, fight and talk your way through a British countryside setting filled with bizarre characters, mysticism, cults, and rogue government agencies.From Rebellion, the studio behind Sniper Elite and Zombie Army, Atomfall will challenge you to solve the dark mystery of what really happened.Player Driven Mystery: Unravel a tapestry of interwoven narratives through exploration, conversation, investigation, and combat, where every choice you make has consequences.Search, Scavage, Survive: Youll need to scavenge for supplies, craft weapons and items, and fight desperately to make it out alive!Desperate Combat: With weapons and ammunition scarce, each frenetic engagement will see you blend marksmanship with vicious hand-to-hand combat. Manage your heart rate to hold a steady aim and ensure you have the energy you need to reach for your cricket bat and land the killer blow.Green and Unpleasant Land: The picturesque British countryside, with rolling green hills, lush valleys, and rural villages belie the dangers that await you. Navigate cult-controlled ruins, natural caves, nuclear bunkers and more as you explore this dense, foreboding world.Reimagining Windscale: A fictional reimagining of a real-world event, Atomfall draws from science fiction, folk horror, and Cold War influences to create a world that is eerily familiar yet completely alien.

Bejewel and bedazzle was the mantra that Janie Molster and her partner, Kate Stikeleather, kept in mind while designing this sprawling family compound on Floridas Captiva Island. The multigenerational beach getaway was still in the preconstruction phase when the owners reached out to Molster, asking her to turn their dream into a reality. Theyd seen another one of her Florida projects on a magazine cover at the airport. It avoided the typical coastal clichs and instead leaned into something more sophisticated and eclecticexactly what they wanted. Over four years, Molster and Stikeleather perfected the design. At one point, a hurricane made the island inaccessible, and they had to push back the install date by months to allow for repairs. Ultimately, they nailed it. Is it midcentury modern? Is it groovy 1970s? Is it uber-contemporary Miami? Molster asks of the end result. The answer: all of the above and beyond.FAST FACTSDesigner: Location: The Space:We were tasked from the get-go to make it fun, and not really hold back with regard to color.GREAT ROOMA gathering place filled with tropical hues. Carmel Brantley

Art: Stephanie Henderson. Palm tree lamp: Mario Lopez Torres Furniture. Coffee table: Baker. Chairs: Nathan Anthony (near sofas), in Manuel Canovas fabric.We wanted to create a house that could bend the rules about eating and drinking designer Janie Molster says, so the CR Laine sofas are upholstered in performance fabrics. Adding a sense of place, the tabby fireplace is covered in crushed seashells. Art abounds throughout. If you keep scale and balance in mind, the number of products you can mix in is endless, Molster says.FOYERA grand entrance with playful details.Carmel Brantley

Chandelier: Casamidy. Daybed: Jeffan, in Fortuny fabric.We are all about the high/low, yin/yang of a space, Molster says. In the foyer, the Chippendale motif of the staircase is offset by a custom runner from Nashville Rug Gallery. BREAKFAST ROOMThe designers played up the high ceilings.Carmel Brantley

 Drapery fabric: Etamine. Wallcovering: Phillip Jeffries. Table: Worlds Away. Chairs: Made Goods.Leaning into the rooms height, we fell in love with the dramatic scale of the draperies, Molster says.DINING ROOMA large antique mirror enhances the grand proportions.Carmel Brantley

Wallcovering: Jim Thompson. Table: Highland House. Chairs: Mr. Brown London. Sideboard: Hollywood at Home. Lamps: Currey & Company.From the sculptural Lindsey Adelman Studio chandelier to the antique mirror, items in this space act as functional modern art. Carmel Brantley

The pedestal table and Klismos chairs, featuring a Vitruvian scroll wave motif, provide a counterbalance of classicalism. KITCHENThe stone island guided the look and layout of this room.Carmel Brantley

Cabinet paint: Harbor Fog, Benjamin Moore. Range: Wolf. Range backsplash: Casa Ceramica. Pendants: Visual Comfort & Co. The extra-large island is the centerpiece of this room. We wanted to create as much surface as possible, Molster says.Carmel Brantley

The kitchens color palette was inspired by the slab of Cristallo Blue quartzite topping the island.OUTDOOR DININGWaterfront views are the stars of this space. Carmel Brantley

Table: Robert James Collection. Chairs: McKinnon and Harris. Pendant: custom, Bungalow Classic.Storm shutters can enclose the space completelyor disappear into their tracksat the touch of a button, Molster says. High-impact windows throughout the property can withstand up to 160 mph winds. Molster also sought out weather-resistant furnishings and textiles for outdoor spaces. I always say to my clients, If the location wasnt at all vulnerable, it wouldnt be so beautiful, Molster muses. Youre sitting at the end of the earth for a reason: because its stunning."PORCHBright blue railings echo the ocean.Carmel Brantley

Railing paint: Naples Blue, Benjamin Moore. Swing: The Bed Swing. Towels: Weezie.We are strong believers that outdoor living areas should pull their colors from nature, Molster says. Blue skies and sea provided ample inspiration. LIBRARYA ceiling handpainted with seashells brings the ocean indoors.Carmel Brantley

Ceiling mural: Robert Christian Decorative Art. Paint: Pacific Palisades, Benjamin Moore. Chandelier: OLampia. Chair: Palecek, in Jim Thompson fabric.This room mixes antiques and midcentury elements. POWDER ROOMA wave-inspired wallcovering makes a splash. Carmel Brantley

Sconce: Paul Ferrante. Mirror: Bradley. Vanity: custom, Ruffino Cabinetry. Fixtures: Newport Brass. Hardware: Modern Matter.A small bathroom is a fun place to take a risk, Molster says. The bold wallcovering by Gracie does the job. PRIMARY BEDROOMEveryone wants to retreat to this oasis.Carmel Brantley

Drapery: Peter Fasano. Sofa: Bunny Williams Home, in Kirkby Design fabric. Bench: Baker, in Jane Churchill fabric.The focal point of this sanctuary is a custom bed, crafted in India by The Raj Company with a headboard in Kirkby Design fabric. The custom sofa at the foot of the bed is a bedtime-story spot for the owners visiting grandkids. GUEST ROOMSunny motifs are feminine, but not frilly.Carmel Brantley

Curtains and canopy panels: custom, in Schumacher fabric. Bed: Mr. Brown London. Headboard: custom, in Rapture & Wright fabric. Benches: Kravet.Molster sought to create a princess bedroom, channeling the clients adult daughter. GRANDKIDS ROOMIts a master class in pattern mixing.Carmel Brantley

Wallcovering: Thibaut. Drapery and bed skirt fabric: Kathryn M. Ireland. Beds: Kenian Fine Rattan Furniture. Throw: Matouk. Dresser: Modern History. Bed skirt trim: Christopher Farr Cloth.Extra-long twin beds make this room comfy for adult guests too. Twin bedrooms are always fun to design. The symmetry is so pleasing to the eye, Molster says. While pink tones are dominant in these patterns, theyre tempered by the repetition of creamier tones as well as pops of green and yellow. EXTERIORContemporary colors meet traditional materials.Carmel Brantley

Paint: Benjamin Moore Seapearl (house) and Naples Blue (railings). Lanterns: Visual Comfort & Co.Old-world-inspired, mahogany-stained front doors give the stucco new build a sense of history. About the Designer Janie Molster founded Janie Molster Designs in 1991. The interior design firm is based in Richmond, Virginia, but works throughout the Southeast and mid-Atlantic regions, creating one-of-a-kind homes and residential and commercial spaces. She is known for blending modern comfort and functionality with timeless elegance. Read more about Janie Molster Designs here.SHOP THE SPACEMario Lopez Torres Palm Tree Floor Lamp$5,400 at mariolopeztorres.comMade Goods Allison Arm Chair$1 at madegoods.comCredit: Made GoodsBenjamin Moore Naples Blue Paint$6 at samplize.comCredit: SamplizeWeezie Beach Towel$78 at WeezieFollow House Beautiful on Instagram and TikTok.

Apple has introduced a very subtle design change to the M4 MacBook Air that makes it easily identifiable next to M3 and M2 models.As iCulture.nl points out, theres a single identifying design choice for the M4 MacBook Air that is easy to spot but isnt immediately obvious. It comes down to the volume keys on the built-in keyboard. M2 and M3 MacBook Air mute keys use a plain speaker outline for the mute key. The M4 MacBook Air instead uses a speaker outline with a diagonal line through it for mute.The previous mute key icon made sense when compared to the volume down and volume up keys, but the new mute key icon is understandable without the comparison to the other volume key icons. It also matches the icon that Apple uses in software, and Apple is using the same mute key icon on the new Magic Keyboard for M3 iPad Air.The bigger design change, of course, is replacing space gray with a new sky blue color thats exclusive to the M4 MacBook Air for now. Best Apple accessoriesFollow Zac Hall on X, and listen to Runtime with co-host Sophia Tung on Apple Podcasts and YouTube.Add 9to5Mac to your Google News feed. FTC: We use income earning auto affiliate links. More.Youre reading 9to5Mac experts who break news about Apple and its surrounding ecosystem, day after day. Be sure to check out our homepage for all the latest news, and follow 9to5Mac on Twitter, Facebook, and LinkedIn to stay in the loop. Dont know where to start? Check out our exclusive stories, reviews, how-tos, and subscribe to our YouTube channel

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Mar 07, 2025Ravie LakshmananMalvertising / Open SourceMicrosoft has disclosed details of a large-scale malvertising campaign that's estimated to have impacted over one million devices globally as part of what it said is an opportunistic attack designed to steal sensitive information.The tech giant, which detected the activity in early December 2024, is tracking it under the broader umbrella Storm-0408, a moniker used for a set of threat actors that are known to distribute remote access or information-stealing malware via phishing, search engine optimization (SEO), or malvertising."The attack originated from illegal streaming websites embedded with malvertising redirectors, leading to an intermediary website where the user was then redirected to GitHub and two other platforms," the Microsoft Threat Intelligence team said."The campaign impacted a wide range of organizations and industries, including both consumer and enterprise devices, highlighting the indiscriminate nature of the attack."The most significant aspect of the campaign is the use of GitHub as a platform for delivering initial access payloads. In at least two other isolated instances, the payloads have been found hosted on Discord and Dropbox. The GitHub repositories have since been taken down. The company did not reveal how many such repositories were removed.The Microsoft-owned code hosting service acts as a staging ground for dropper malware that's responsible for deploying a series of additional programs like Lumma Stealer and Doenerium, which, in turn, are capable of collecting system information.The attack also employs a sophisticated redirection chain comprising four to five layers, with the initial redirector embedded within an iframe element on illegal streaming websites serving pirated content.The overall infection sequence is a multi-stage process that involves system discovery, information gathering, and the use of follow-on payloads such as NetSupport RAT and AutoIT scripts to facilitate more data theft. The remote access trojan also serves as a conduit for stealer malware.First-stage - Establish a foothold on target devicesSecond-stage - System reconnaissance, collection, and exfiltration, and payload deliveryThird-stage - Command execution, payload delivery, defensive evasion, persistence, command-and-control communications, and data exfiltrationFourth-stage - PowerShell script to configure Microsoft Defender exclusions and run commands to download data from a remote serverAnother characteristic of the attacks concerns the use of various PowerShell scripts to download NetSupport RAT, identify installed applications and security software, specifically scanning for the presence of cryptocurrency wallets, indicating potential financial data theft."Besides the information stealers, PowerShell, JavaScript, VBScript, and AutoIT scripts were run on the host," Microsoft said. "The threat actors incorporated use of living-off-the-land binaries and scripts (LOLBAS) like PowerShell.exe, MSBuild.exe, and RegAsm.exe for C2 and data exfiltration of user data and browser credentials."The disclosure comes as Kaspersky revealed that bogus websites masquerading as the DeepSeek and Grok artificial intelligence (AI) chatbots are being used to trick users into installing a previously undocumented Python information stealer.DeekSeek-themed decoy sites advertised by verified accounts on X (e.g., @ColeAddisonTech, @gaurdevang2, and @saduq5) have also been employed to execute a PowerShell script that uses SSH to grant attackers remote access to the computer. "Cybercriminals use various schemes to lure victims to malicious resources,' the Russian cybersecurity company said. "Typically, links to such sites are distributed through messengers and social networks. Attackers may also use typosquatting or purchase ad traffic to malicious sites through numerous affiliate programs."Found this article interesting? Follow us on Twitter and LinkedIn to read more exclusive content we post.SHARE

John Edwards, Technology Journalist & AuthorMarch 7, 20255 Min Readhirun laowisit via Alamy Stock PhotoAn AI governance platform ensures that AI systems are developed responsibly and transparently. "It helps mitigate risks, such as data privacy breaches, model inaccuracies, and drift, and build trust with stakeholders," says Jen Clark, director of advisory/technical enablement services at business consulting firm Eisner Advisory Group, in an email interview.AI governance should extend an enterprise's overall data governance commitment by reducing AI bias and increasing transparency, says Dorotea Baljevic, principal consultant, manufacturing and digital engineering, with technology research and advisory firm ISG. "AI governance covers much more than the AI system itself to include the necessary roles, processes, and operating models needed to enact AI," she notes in an online interview.AI automates and speeds decision-making. Yet there remains a need to create some type of audit trail that shows the decisions being made and allows decision reversals, if necessary, says Kyle Jones, senior manager of solutions architecture at AWS, in an email interview. "A reliable AI governance platform needs to meet the needs of the business today and can be updated and changed as time goes on so that results continue to meet business needs."Platform AttributesRelated:AI governance platforms are similar to their counterparts in engineering operations, and cybersecurity best practices, including continuous monitoring, alerting, and automated escalations, all supported by a robust incident management process, Clark says. "What sets AI governance apart is the integration of automation to manage the models themselves, often referred to as machine learning ops or MLOps." This includes automation to validate, deploy, monitor, and maintain models.An effective AI governance platform includes four fundamental components: data governance, technical controls, ethical guidelines and reporting mechanisms, says Beena Ammanath, executive director of the Global Deloitte AI Institute. "Data governance is necessary for ensuring that data within an organization is accurate, consistent, secure and used responsibly," she explains in an online interview.Technical controls are essential for tasks such as testing and validating GenAI models to ensure their performance and reliability, Ammanath says. "Ethical and responsible AI use guidelines are critical, covering aspects such as bias, fairness, and accountability to promote trust across the organization and with key stakeholders." Additionally, reporting controls should be put in place to support thorough documentation and the transparent disclosure of GenAI systems.Related:Team BuildingThere's no one-size-fits-all framework for AI governance. "Rather than applying universal standards, organizations should focus on developing AI governance strategies that align with their industry, scale, and goals," Ammanath advises. "Each enterprise and each industry has unique objectives, risk tolerances, and operational complexities, making it essential to build a governance model tailored to fit specific needs, leveraging context aware approaches.""AI governance requires a multi-disciplinary or interdisciplinary approach and may involve non-traditional partners such as data science and AI teams, technology teams for the infrastructure, business teams who will use the system or data, governance and risk and compliance teams -- even researchers and customers," Baljevic says.Clark advises working across stakeholder groups. "Technology and business leaders, as well as practitioners -- from ML engineers to IT to functional leads -- should be included in the overall plan, especially for high-risk use case deployments," she says. "From there, it's easier to divide and tackle the plan, either by building custom workflows within your cloud provider's ML/AI toolkit or by purchasing a solution and integrating it into an existing governance program."Related:Avoiding MistakesThe biggest mistake when implementing AI governance is treating it as a static, one-time implementation instead of an ongoing, adaptive process, Ammanath says. "AI technologies, regulations, and societal expectations evolve rapidly, and failing to design a flexible, scalable framework can result in outdated practices, increased risks, and loss of trust." Additionally, failing to implement comprehensive controls and to continuously adapt to evolving marketplace threats can result in significant vulnerabilities that undermine the security and integrity of AI operations.The biggest mistake enterprises make is focusing on specific models rather than workflows. "Models are constantly changing and improving," Jones notes. "There's not, and will never be, a single 'best' model." Instead, he advises enterprises to focus on workflows that can be effectively automated.Parting ThoughtsThis is an exciting time in technology, with the potential to fundamentally change everything enterprises are doing, Jones says. "IT people should focus on business problems that can be automated, starting small and scaling out," he advises. Use existing IT knowledge in areas such as abstraction, microservices, and loose coupling, all of which AI can amplify. "Start with projects that deliver business value to earn the right to move forward into more IT-centric improvements that reduce overall costs."About the AuthorJohn EdwardsTechnology Journalist & AuthorJohn Edwards is a veteran business technology journalist. His work has appeared in The New York Times, The Washington Post, and numerous business and technology publications, including Computerworld, CFO Magazine, IBM Data Management Magazine, RFID Journal, and Electronic Design. He has also written columns for The Economist's Business Intelligence Unit and PricewaterhouseCoopers' Communications Direct. John has authored several books on business technology topics. His work began appearing online as early as 1983. Throughout the 1980s and 90s, he wrote daily news and feature articles for both the CompuServe and Prodigy online services. His "Behind the Screens" commentaries made him the world's first known professional blogger.See more from John EdwardsWebinarsMore WebinarsReportsMore ReportsNever Miss a Beat: Get a snapshot of the issues affecting the IT industry straight to your inbox.SIGN-UPYou May Also Like

All jobs Senior Frontend-Focused Full-Stack Engineer - (Next.js/React/Node.js) Posted A few minutes agoWho we are:Collaboration.Ai is a Minneapolis-Saint Paul based software and services company with employees and strategic partners around the globe. Using our software platforms, design thinking, and artificial intelligence, we open up opportunities for clients in public, private, and nonprofit sectors to forge valuable connections, create meaningful engagement, and develop groundbreaking ideas. To learn more about us, visit collaboration.ai.Our product lineup:NetworkOS: evaluate and expand your networkCrowdVector: enable innovation, from ideation to productionTeamCreator: make the most of teamwork opportunities Apply now Who Were Hiring:We are seeking a highly experienced and frontend-oriented Senior Full-Stack Engineer to lead the development of exceptional user experiences for our next-generation intelligent applications. This is a pivotal role where you will architect and build cutting-edge frontends using Next.js and React, backed by robust GraphQL and RESTful APIs, to power our innovative architecture.You will be a champion for user-centric design, driving the development of intuitive and performant interfaces across multiple client platforms (web, browser extensions, potential desktop/mobile). You will leverage modern design patterns and architectures (e.g. ViewModel patterns, Backend For Frontend (BFF)) to create efficient and scalable frontend systems. While full-stack capabilities are essential, your passion and expertise should lean strongly towards the frontend, ensuring a seamless and engaging user experience, built with security best practices in mind and adherence to relevant compliance standards.If you are a front-end-first full-stack engineer passionate about crafting beautiful and functional user interfaces, thrive in a collaborative environment, and are excited by the challenge of building multi-platform experiences for AI-driven applications, we want to hear from you!Why Join Us?This is an exceptional opportunity to be a lead frontend-focused full-stack engineer at a company building innovative AI-powered solutions. You will have the chance to define our frontend architecture, build cutting-edge user experiences using Next.js and React, and shape the way users interact with our AI agentic technology. You will be at the forefront of building multi-platform applications and have a significant impact on our user satisfaction and product success. If you are a passionate frontend engineer ready to take on exciting challenges and build the future of intelligent user interfaces, apply now!Key Responsibilities:Frontend Architecture & Development (Next.js/React Focus):Architect, design, and lead the development of highly performant and scalable frontends primarily using Next.js and React.Implement ViewModel design patterns to create maintainable and testable frontend architectures.Develop and optimize Backend For Frontend (BFF) layers to tailor backend services specifically for frontend needs.Ensure consistent and engaging user experiences across multiple client platforms (web, browser extensions, and potentially desktop/native mobile).API Design & Integration:Architect and design well-documented and publicly consumable RESTful APIs and GraphQL endpoints for frontend applications and internal services.Drive best practices for API design, versioning, and security.Ensure seamless integration between frontends and backend services, optimizing data flow and performance.Backend Development (Node.js/TypeScript):Develop and maintain robust and scalable backend services and microservices using Node.js and TypeScript to support frontend functionalities and data needs.Contribute to backend architecture decisions, focusing on performance, scalability, and reliability in a Kubernetes-orchestrated environment.Collaborate with backend engineers to ensure efficient data delivery and API integration.Multi-Frontend Environment Support:Design and implement solutions to support a consistent user experience across various frontend technologies and platforms (web clients, browser extensions, and potential future platforms).Address platform-specific challenges and optimize frontend performance for each environment.Maintain a holistic view of the user journey across different client interfaces.Security & Compliance:Implement robust frontend security best practices to ensure application security and protect user data.Collaborate with security and DevOps teams to integrate security and compliance considerations into the frontend development lifecycle.Participate in security reviews and proactively address potential frontend vulnerabilities, with an understanding of relevant security and compliance frameworks.Leadership & Collaboration:Lead frontend technical discussions, contribute to full-stack architectural decisions, and mentor junior frontend engineers.Collaborate effectively with product managers, designers, and other engineers in an agile environment.Champion best practices in frontend development, code quality, and user experience.Basic Qualifications:Bachelors degree in Computer Science, Engineering, or a related field.7+ years of professional experience in frontend-focused full-stack software development.Deep expertise in modern frontend development with Next.js and React.Strong understanding and practical experience implementing ViewModel design patterns.Proven experience designing and consuming RESTful APIs and/or GraphQL APIs.Experience building and deploying applications for multiple frontend platforms (web, browser extensions, etc.).Solid proficiency in backend development with Node.js and TypeScript.Experience with containerization (Docker, Kubernetes) and CI/CD pipelines.Preferred Qualifications:Experience implementing Backend For Frontend (BFF) architectures.Experience working in regulated environments or projects with security and compliance requirements.Familiarity with backend technologies beyond Node.js (e.g., Python, ORMs).Experience designing scalable data product frontends.Exposure to AI/LLM technologies and building AI-driven user interfaces.Contributions to open-source frontend projects or active participation in the frontend developer community.Location: Remote, with a preference for candidates in Minnesota or the Central Time Zone.Apply NowLet's start your dream job Apply now Collaboration.Ai View company Jobs posted: 7 Related Jobs Remote Full-Stack Programming jobs

Who Were Hiring:We are looking for a highly skilled and passionate Senior Backend Engineer with deep expertise in data engineering and AI/LLM integrations to drive the development of our core backend systems and data platform. This is a pivotal role where you will architect and build scalable, robust, and secure backend services, data pipelines, and APIs that power our intelligent applications and agentic workflows.You will be at the forefront of designing solutions for raw data capture, web scraping, data processing, transformation, and storage, ultimately feeding our cutting-edge AI/LLM systems. Your expertise in Python, data engineering principles, and backend architectures will be critical as we scale our platform.If you are a data-driven backend engineer with a passion for building high-performance systems, tackling complex data and scaling challenges, and working with AI/LLM technologies, we want to hear from you!Why Join Us?This is a rare opportunity to be a foundational backend and data engineering leader at a company at the forefront of AI innovation. You will have the chance to build our core backend systems and data platform from scratch, directly impacting the success of our AI-driven products. You will work with cutting-edge technologies, tackle challenging data problems, and be surrounded by a team of highly motivated engineers. If you are ready to take your backend and data engineering skills to the next level and build the future of AI, apply now!Key Responsibilities:Backend Architecture & Development (Data & AI Focus):Architect, design, develop, and maintain high-performance backend systems, microservices, and robust data pipelines.Lead the development of solutions for raw data capture, web scraping, data processing, cleaning, and transformation to prepare data for LLM/Agent consumption.Design and implement APIs for data access, processing, and integration with frontend applications and AI/LLM systems.Contribute to the overall architecture and scalability of our backend infrastructure and data platform.Data Engineering & Pipeline Optimization:Design, build, and optimize data pipelines for efficient data ingestion, processing, and storage.Work with various data storage technologies, including RDBMS, NoSQL databases, GraphDBs, and vector/RAG storage solutions.Implement data quality checks and monitoring to ensure data integrity and reliability.Optimize data pipelines for performance, scalability, and cost-effectiveness.AI/LLM System Integration:Develop and maintain backend services that integrate with our AI/LLM models and agentic frameworks.Design APIs and data flows to support the deployment, monitoring, and scaling of AI/LLM applications.Collaborate with AI/ML engineers to optimize data pipelines and infrastructure for AI workloads.Security & Compliance:Implement robust security best practices for backend systems and data handling, ensuring data security and system integrity.Collaborate with DevOps and security teams to ensure our backend systems meet relevant security and compliance standards (e.g., NIST frameworks, SOC2).Implement data access controls and security measures to protect sensitive information.Mentorship & Collaboration:Mentor junior engineers and contribute to code reviews and architectural discussions.Collaborate effectively with cross-functional teams (frontend, AI/ML, product) in an agile environment.Champion best practices in backend development, data engineering, and security.Basic Qualifications:Bachelors or Masters degree in Computer Science, Engineering, or a related field.7+ years of professional experience in backend development, with proficiency in Python and experience working with strongly-typed languages (such as Kotlin, Java, Go, or Rust). We value engineers who can bring experience from both dynamically-typed and statically-typed language paradigms.Extensive experience in data engineering principles and building robust data pipelines.Proven expertise in designing and developing scalable and secure backend systems and microservices.Familiarity with containerization (Docker, Kubernetes) and modern deployment practices.Proficiency with multiple persistence technologies including RDBMS, NoSQL, GraphDBs, and vector/RAG storage solutions.Solid understanding of cloud platforms (AWS, Azure, or GCP).Preferred Qualifications:Deep experience building and deploying backend systems in regulated environments requiring NIST-53 compliance.Strong background in AI/LLM system integrations and agentic software development.Experience with web scraping technologies and data extraction techniques.Proven leadership in architecting enterprise-grade backend and data solutions.Experience with data streaming technologies (e.g., Kafka, Kinesis).Advanced degree in Computer Science, Data Science, or a related field.Location: Remote, with preference for candidates in the Central Time Zone.Apply NowLet's start your dream job Apply now