# Joel D.

> UX Researcher | Tech & Wellness

Location: Sunnyvale, California, United States
Profile: https://flows.cv/joeld

Mission-driven UX professional who specializes in translating user needs into intuitive, accessible solutions. Seeking opportunities in UX research, data synthesis, or research operations where I can apply my expertise in human cognition and evidence-based design to build inclusive, high-impact products.

## Work Experience
### UX Researcher & Designer @ Freelance & Independent Consultancy
Jan 2022 – Present | Sunnyvale, CA

### Immersive Specialist, XR Logistics @ Google
Jan 2025 – Jan 2025 | Mountain View, CA
Managed the operational backbone of a high-security XR research lab, ensuring 100% asset accountability and readiness for engineering teams

• Oversaw the intake, tracking, and compliance workflows for 2,000+ proprietary XR hardware prototypes, maintaining strict security protocols in a sensitive R&D environment

• Standardized device deployment procedures, ensuring researchers had fully calibrated and charged units for human-subject testing

• Resolved 500+ technical tickets, ranking in the Top 2 for performance. Identified recurrent hardware defects and documented patterns to support engineering root cause analysis

• Coordinated int'l shipping of prototype hardware, navigating customs and regulatory requirements to support research studies

### UX/UI Designer (Coding it Forward Fellow) @ City of Philadelphia
Jan 2023 – Jan 2023 | Philadelphia, PA
As a Fellow with Coding it Forward (America's leading public interest fellowship with a 3.7% acceptance rate), I led the end-to-end design process for an intranet MVP for Philadelphia Parks & Recreation's 1,700+ employees. 

Delved into in-depth user research and synthesis to understand problem space, culminating in presenting key findings to senior leadership. Collaborated closely with the Product Manager to identify and design core features, including a document repository and talent directory, specifically aimed at streamlining seasonal staff recruitment. 

To ensure alignment with user needs and business goals, I conducted usability tests with five target users using low-fidelity prototypes and gathered feedback to refine the design.

### Product Designer @ PeopleGrove
Jan 2022 – Jan 2022 | San Francisco Bay Area
Collaborated closely with a Product Manager and Director of Product Strategy to understand business needs. 

Led weekly meetings, defined research strategies, and secured stakeholder buy-in through three presentations, which were based on insights from five user interviews and three rounds of usability testing.

Culminated in a complete redesign of a career access platform's onboarding experience and a 100% user satisfaction rate.


## Education
### Bachelor of Arts - BA in Sociology
University of California, Berkeley

### Certificate in UX/UI Design
Springboard


## Contact & Social
- LinkedIn: https://linkedin.com/in/yapjoel
- Portfolio: https://joelyap.super.site/

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Source: https://flows.cv/joeld
JSON Resume: https://flows.cv/joeld/resume.json
Last updated: 2026-04-13