Pomona College

University of California, Berkeley

Walter Payton College Prep

UX Researcher

UXR for Move Money, Schwab Advisor Services. We empower thousands of financial advisors (including recently converted TDAmeritrade advisors) across 15,000+ firms with ~$3.5 trillion in managed assets (2023 - present).

UXR for Client Services & Support, Schwab Intelligent Assistant, Search (all digital platforms) (2022- 2023)

Charles Schwab

Sr. UX Researcher

Participated in a training program featuring team building, cross-cultural communication, leadership, and academic excellence; facilitated controversial group discussions around race, gender, and other social topics. One of 94 students selected out of an applicant pool of 2700.

The Posse Foundation

Posse Scholar

UXR for Meta Reality Labs (VR Platform + Ecosystems)

Swing Therapeutics, Inc.

Increased confidence in product decisions and expanded UXR output by executing end-to-end research (planning, testing, analyzing, reporting, recommending, collaborating) across Fi’s 5 focus pillars; goals and methods ranged from evaluative to tactical.

Shaped 2020 product strategy with lead UXRs by delivering foundational research on defining target users and recommending actionable opportunities supported by mixed methods; collaborated with xfn stakeholders via workshops, brainstorms, and user walkthroughs to drive impact of research insights.

Google via NTT Data

*UX Research on Firebase platform (Rapid Research)

Coordinated with leads in product, engineering, design, and relevant stakeholders to facilitate >10 usability studies involving >60 users, across >7 Firebase products and surfaces. This included designing and executing protocols, collecting data, and working with other researchers to ensure a week turnaround from inception to completion.

Researched, drafted, and presented reports for UX teams, providing concrete recommendations for future product and study iterations; provided additional support for miscellaneous and/or scrappy research requests.

(reports can be found on go/uxra; ortizjoshua@, FireUXRR@)

Google via Creative Circle

Collaborated with product, marketing, and design teams to design UX research study on various in-app beta features.

Created and executed research plans involving recruiting over forty participants in two weeks; collected, analyzed, and synthesized results and recommendations into multiple reports for various teams.

Samsung Mobile

Conducted EEG experiments investigating cognitive mechanisms including object perception, and semantic relatedness

Handled EEG hardware and software, recruiting and testing participants, and collection and analysis of data.

REED Lab

Research Assistant

Ran behavioral experiments investigating cognitive and neural mechanisms of learning and memory occurring in virtual reality environments.

Implemented fMRI and OpenSim protocols; recruited users, analyzed data and results.

Rissman Memory Lab

Investigated function of pars opercularis and pars triangularis in higher cognition using transcranial magnetic stimulation (TMS); employed a hierarchical drift diffusion model and Bayesian modeling to analyze results.

Assisted with multi-modal comparisons of the cortical, structural, and functional connectivity of a chess grandmaster to other chess grandmasters with sMRI, fMRI, and DTI.

MontiLab

Co-founded Altar, an augmented and virtual reality software start-up which provides a scientifically grounded collaborative creative environment for its users.

Directed research and recruitment for UX and product development; focused on virtual reality, memory, and spatial cognition; also designed outreach and marketing strategies to grow brand awareness; managed social media presence.

Altar Virtual Technologies, Inc.

Research Director and Co-Founder

Assisted in conducting research on child attachment, relationships, and emotions in and outside of lab setting. 

Facilitated home-visits, savoring interventions, transcribing, physio data analysis, and more.

Child Attachment, Relationships, and Emotion (CARE) Lab

Worked in various departments involved with creation and production of hit TV show “How to Get Away with Murder”

Executed diverse tasks within departments, gaining experience from research to post production editing and everything in between (including set)

Departments worked in:
-Writing (along with research)
-Post-production
-Sound Editing/Music Editing
-Art
-Set
-Set Dec
-Costume & Wardrobe
-Production
-Props

ABC Television- How to Get Away with Murder

Production Intern

Assisted in creating housing lists, pulling room keys, registering guests, and supervising conferences with anywhere from 30 to 2000 attendees. Acted as House Manager during day events and concerts

Conferences and Events Intern

Operated lighting and sound systems during concerts and events; supervised the building during performances.

Managed ushers, other managers, and coordinated with performers to optimize stage production and quality.

Head House Manager

Created initiative for the organization to involve themselves more with the community. Planned an agenda and tasks list that included skill-share events, newsletters, seminars, and more.

Let's Go Chicago

Community Outreach Organizer

Planned and organized events and activities for students seeking alternatives to parties on Saturdays.

Designed flyers and marketing strategies, as well as managed social media to promote organization and events.

Head Intern, That Saturday Group

Attended to client needs, managed case files and performed other clerical work. Provided outreach support, phoning potential clients, informed clients of services provided by company.

Latin United Community Housing Association (LUCHA)

Program Clerk

Updated and managed website/social media and everything electronic for boutique fashion designer. Assisted in promotional services/advertising, sewing, event planning, day-to-day office needs.

Joshua Ortiz