Senior Quantitative UX Researcher and Team Lead

William Ryan McGarry, Ph.D.

*********@*****.*** 703-***-****

***** ******** ***** **.

Haymarket, VA 20169

Personal Statement

Senior Quantitative UX Researcher & Team Lead with a Ph.D. in Human Factors & Applied Cognition, delivering over 15 years of experience blending UX research, data science, and advanced statistical modeling approaches. Currently managing UX research at Google and previously VP of Research at SPARK Neuro, I have led end-to-end strategy for real-time signal collection, identity resolution, biometric/event stream processing, data quality governance, and privacy-compliant pipelines at scale — translating complex technical systems into clear business impact for stakeholders in advertising, marketing, and analytics.

Areas of Expertise

● Scaled and ran a UX Research & Design team at Google (from 2 to 13 people), worked with cross-functional partners including PMs, PgMs, Data Scientists, and Engineers

● Led teams focused on AI/Machine Learning model development, human factors, and data science/analytics

● Statistical analysis and modeling

● Agile software development, Python, and R experience Professional Experience

Google - Haymarket, VA (Remote)

UX Research and Design Team Manager August 2021 – Present

-Scaling & leading a team of 13 UX Researchers and Designers who coordinate, execute, and deliver high-impact studies on AI-focused internal software development tools

-Running end-to-end mixed-methods research studies to help answer stakeholders’ research questions and provide insights to improve internal products

-Working with cross-functional partners to ensure alignment with cross-functional stakeholders, including software engineers and project managers, on product timelines and stakeholder priorities across Google’s AI/ML software ecosystem

-Mentoring & growing a team of mixed-methods UX Researchers and Designers who focused on usability testing, diary studies, biometric integration, A/B testing, and concept evaluation projects (e.g., explainability, bias detection, mental model mapping)

-Coding internal tools to automate multiple internal processes for our team’s researchers

-Directing strategy, expansion, and conducted hiring for the team research SPARK Neuro - New York, NY Vice President of Research October 2016 – August 2021

-Managed UX Researcher, software development, and data science teams to ensure timelines and deliverables were met for client projects

-Constructed machine learning-based models for predicting engagement to digital ad content using Python-based Scikit-Learn, PyTorch, and other tools -Led research studies to develop algorithms to predict cognitive attention and emotion using ML techniques on time series datasets

-Directed strategy, expansion, and conducted hiring for in-house research department

-Discussed objectives with research managers to ensure project deadlines were met, code commits, reviews, and bug checks were regularly completed

-Performed software architecture design with developers for proprietary data collection & analysis software

-Facilitated communication between C-level leadership and research scientists SPARK Experience - Bethesda, MD Senior UX Researcher June 2015 – October 2016

-Headed internal research studies involving testing, data analysis, data science objectives, and machine learning model construction on time series datasets

-Deployed supervised and unsupervised models using Docker and Kubernetes

-Utilized various study methodologies, including conducting A/B tests, card sorts, user interviews, and creating storyboards

-Setup company BitBucket and cloud infrastructure to lead agile data science team

-Developed machine learning-based models to detect and rejection noise from physiological sensors in live view for client research studies

-Implemented use of eye tracking and biometric devices (EEG, GSR, and PPG) in usability testing to create actionable insights for clients

-Led numerous UX research studies for clients including study design, survey deployment, data analysis, and presented final reports to clients

-Headed research studies that were featured in prominent news organizations such as CNN, The Washington Post, and ABC News

SPARK Experience - Bethesda, MD UX Research Neuroscientist May 2013 – June 2015

-Conducted user research testing sessions on various website and product designs with different methods including user interviews, A/B testing, and card sorts

-Wrote statistical analysis scripts for study data

-Created user personas, website wireframes, and design prototypes for research studies

-Wrote reports and successfully delivered presentations to clients

-Established SQL database for organize all company participant data

-Developed and deployed in-house participant recruitment system Cognitive Psychology Laboratory at GMU - Fairfax, VA Student Researcher, Lab Manager August 2005 – May 2013

-Managed cognitive science research lab that received over $20 Million in funding from groups including NIH, NIA, and US Air Force

-Setup and tested study participants on cognitive and usability tests

-Wrote scripts to process and analyze participant data

-Conducted statistical analysis of data

-Designed and published cognitive neuroscience studies

-Trained all research assistants in lab (approx. 20 individuals)

-Set up and conducted numerous cognitive neuroscience and usability studies

-Collected and analyzed data from tools including eye trackers, MRI, EEG, and cognitive tests

-Wrote computer-based cognitive tests for research studies

-Managed SQL study database to organize, store, and analyze genetics data for over 2000 participants, including transition from local to cloud-based database solution

Skills

Languages: Python, C#, C++, SQL, Java, R, MATLAB

Packages: Pandas, Scikit-Learn, NumPy, PyTorch, NLTK, MATLAB Regression Learner, MATLAB Classification Learner

Technologies: AWS, Docker, Spark, Bitbucket

Stats Techniques: Logistic Regression, Linear regression, Text Analysis, Deep Learning, Decision Trees, Random Forests, SVM, Clustering, PCA, Descriptive statistics

Education

Ph.D., Human Factors and Applied Cognition 2023 George Mason University, Fairfax, VA

M.A., Human Factors and Applied Cognition 2010 George Mason University, Fairfax, VA

B.S., Psychology 2008 George Mason University, Fairfax, VA Presentations and News Publications

-Presented neuroscience research at American Marketing Association (AMA), New Orleans Chapter (03/21/2018)

-Presented on applications of neuroscience research to DoD members at U.S. Pentagon (06/2017)

-Presented neuroscience research at DARPA (06/2017)

-Presented at Northern Virginia UX Meetup (07/2016). Talk titled “Biometrics and Neuromeasurement in UX Research”

-Presented at Rotary Club of Great Falls, VA (02/2017). Talk titled “Biometrics and Neuromeasurement in User Research”

-Research published in major media outlets including CNN, Forbes, NBC, ABC News, AdWeek, and The Washington Post

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