JAMES RUSSO
Boise
Summary
Gameplay & XR Designer focused on building and refining game-driven, user-facing experiences across Unity, Unreal Engine, web, and XR. Experienced in rapid prototyping, hands-on testing, and iterative improvement, with a strong eye for interaction quality and usability. Collaborative, detail-oriented, and motivated by shipping polished, engaging immersive experiences that feel good to use.
Overview
4
4
years of professional experience
1
1
Certification
Work History
Retail Specialist
Apple Inc.
08.2025 - Current
- Translate user needs into tailored technical solutions through hands-on demos and guided onboarding
- Diagnose and resolve hardware and software issues while clearly communicating root cause and resolution
Lead Interaction Designer
Boise State University
02.2022 - 08.2023
- Led interaction design for a student-facing personal finance tracker from concept to delivery
- Created user flows, wireframes, and high-fidelity UI with a focus on clarity, accessibility, and ease of use while collaborating in a small but functional team
Education
B.S. - Games, Interactive Media & Mobile Technologies
Boise State University
Boise12-2025
Skills
- Game Engines: Unity (XR & Gameplay Systems) and Unreal Engine (Blueprints)
- Programming Languages: C#, JavaScript, and TypeScript
- Web & UI Frameworks: HTML, CSS, Bootstrap, and jQuery
- Mobile Development: Swift & SwiftUI (Foundational)
- Immersive Technologies: VR/MR development for Meta Quest and Apple Vision Pro
- Interaction Design: User flows, wireframing, and rapid prototyping
- Design Software: Figma and Adobe Creative Cloud (XD, Photoshop)
- QA & Optimization: Usability testing , bug reproduction , and regression testing
- Development Tools: Git/GitHub version control
Certification
- XR Developer (Program Certificate) — Boise State University, Games, Interactive Media & Mobile (GIMM) | May 2025
- Epic Games Game Design Certificate, Unreal through Coursera, December 2025-Present
- Learn How To Make A Fighting Game In Unreal Engine, Unreal University - August 2024-November 2024
Timeline
Retail Specialist
Apple Inc.
08.2025 - Current
Lead Interaction Designer
Boise State University
02.2022 - 08.2023
B.S. - Games, Interactive Media & Mobile Technologies
Boise State University
LINKEDIN/PORTFOLIO
- Https://www.linkedin.com/in/jamesrusso/
- Https://jamesrusso12.github.io/Portfolio-2.0/
Certificates
- Unreal Engine Fundamentals | Epic Games (April 2026)
- Introduction to Game Design | Epic Games (January 2026)
- XR Developer (Program Certificate) | Boise State University, GIMM (May 2025)
- Learn How To Make A Fighting Game In Unreal Engine | Unreal University (August 2024 to November 2024)