Top Talent like Tyreek are on Pangea

Pangea, a YC company, connects companies with fractional talent. Fractional hiring allows companies to move faster and work with more specialized talent, while giving talent more flexibility and independence. If you are talent open to fractional work, apply here. If you’re a company looking for high-quality fractional talent, learn more here.

Tyreek Houston, MLIS

User Researcher
Product Manager
Creative & Brand Strategist
Deptford, NJ, US
Storytelling
Participatory design
Usability Testing
Survey Design
Available for hire fromNegotiable
Contracts
Senior UX Researcher | SaaS & AI | Turning Complex Systems into Confident Product Decisions
I’m a Senior UX Researcher specializing in AI-powered and data-intensive B2B SaaS products. I help teams make confident product decisions in complex environments where ambiguity, risk, and scale are high. My work focuses on mixed-methods research, system-level usability, and translating user insight into clear product direction. I partner closely with product, design, engineering, and leadership to align teams around evidence, not opinions. I’ve spent 10+ years helping fast-moving teams improve adoption, reduce rework, and ship more confidently across industries including health tech, enterprise platforms, and emerging AI systems. I’m currently open to Senior UX Researcher roles focused on AI, B2B SaaS, and complex product ecosystems, where research is valued as a strategic function.

Projects

Elsevier: ClinicalKey AI

ClinicalKey AI is a clinical information tool designed to help clinicians quickly retrieve clinical answers to medical questions at the point of care. In late 2025, the product team at Elsevier planned to release a major update to ClinicalKey AI for general availability. Shortly before launch, the engineering team replaced the entire AI backend that powered response generation, accelerating the release window. While this new backend gave the team more control and flexibility, it also introduced significant uncertainty. In healthcare, uncertainty is a risk. Even small gaps in response quality, clarity, or safety can undermine trust, slow adoption, or introduce clinical harm. I was brought in on a contractual basis (6 months) as the sole UX Researcher responsible for evaluating and reducing this risk before launch (Dec, 2025). I designed and led a longitudinal research study and risk mitigation workflow that helped the team understand real clinician behavior, uncover hidden failure modes, and operationalize a repeatable process for improving AI response quality. The result my work significantly impacted the response quality of the AI-powered SaaS and team efficiency. The model: achieved 100% remediation of all high-risk query classes. Accuracy: The model reached a 95% accuracy grade as measured by our Clinical SMEs, who benchmarked the AI responses against Elsevier’s proprietary library of medical journals. Operational Efficiency: The engineering and product team moved from 'guessing' what clinicians wanted to a repeatable 'Clinical Quality Engine' that reduced reliance on one-off fixes through the creation of a system behavior taxonomy. On-Time GA: Delivered actionable insights that converted to active development and product JIRA tickets within the 3-month accelerated window to meet the General Availability milestone. See More

Project Sharing with Infura

The leading Web3 API and node provider, Infura, supports critical blockchain infrastructure for enterprise clients representing over $300 billion in combined network value, including Splunk and major 11 Web3 blockchains. In Q1 of 2022, customer feedback and social media mentions identified a significant security vulnerability: without proper team collaboration capabilities, teams were implementing risky workarounds that threatened the integrity of their blockchain implementations. I recognized the urgency of addressing this product and security concern while maintaining Infura's reputation as a trusted blockchain infrastructure provider. As the first researcher on the team, I identified this as a strategic opportunity to drive product development with comprehensive research rather than assumptions. I proactively developed a comprehensive research strategy to address both security and collaboration needs of enterprise clients. I performed discovery research to understand how enterprise development teams collaborate on blockchain implementations, the organization-level security requirements they operate under, and the permission structures needed to meet compliance standards. Beyond standard research execution, I provided explicit implementation direction to the product team, helped prioritize the roadmap based on security impact, and collaborated with legal and security teams to ensure compliance requirements were met. I orchestrated cross-functional alignment between product, design, QA, development, engineering, marketing, business, data science, customer success, security, and legal teams to drive implementation end-to-end. On July 21st, 2022, Infura introduced enterprise-grade project sharing capabilities, enabling secure collaboration across organizational boundaries for institutional clients managing critical blockchain infrastructure.See More

MetaMask

MetaMask stands as the leading non-custodial Web3 Wallet in the blockchain technology industry, empowering developers, businesses, and users to secure cryptocurrencies and other digital assets with self-custody. As a cornerstone of the decentralized finance revolution, MetaMask plays a pivotal role in shaping the future of financial interactions. In my role as a Staff UX Researcher at MetaMask, I collaborate with exceptional professionals and partner with executive-level stakeholders to enhance the overall user experience across all MetaMask clients, including the Extension, Mobile, and Portfolio applications. My primary focus is on conducting strategic research that ensures a seamless and consistent user experience across platforms. By delving into nuanced business decisions and complex product questions, I uncover deep insights that drive impactful changes. Some of my significant research contributions include developing the first mobile usability testing framework for the company, securing a $1 million investment in mobile research that supported experimental product development, delivering strategic recommendations valued at $240 million, leading to the successful shipment of 4 new features and the enhancement of 4 existing features. Through my leadership and expertise, I continuously strive to drive revenue, reduce churn, and elevate the user experience, ensuring that MetaMask remains at the forefront of innovation in the Web3 space.See More

Bro-Ritos

Bro-Ritos is the only Food Truck in New Jersey offering burritos, which gives them a competitive niche in the Food Truck market. As they continue to grow, they wanted to do so strategically. They've generated a high demand for their service but they've also missed many opportunities due to only having one food truck and unsuitable weather conditions, since it's a seasonal business. So a team and I consulted Bro-Ritos to develop a strategic growth plan so that they can overcome obstacles they were faced with. As the only UX Researcher on the team, I approached the project by learning about Bro-Ritos business operations inside and out. I started by meeting with owners in an introduction meeting to identify their goals, needs and pain points. I learned that a lot of their operations and processes were not documented, which was a key reason the owners did not want to hire additional employees. Defining this problem enabled me to shape solutions intents. The owners and I agreed that creating a detailed operations flowchart along with business process documentation would streamline their on-boarding process as the team and business grew. Leading the creation of those two deliverables, I scheduled weekly recurring meetings with the owners to gather additional information, provide them the opportunity to give feedback, and iterate on the documentation. We learned that Bro-Ritos is more than a Food Truck; it's a brand that excites and delights their audience. They have a strong customer base, from individual consumers to corporate clients. To overcome seasonal weather barriers, the owners decided a storefront was the best solution. In 2020, Bro-Ritos opened their first flagship storefront from the recommendation in our strategic plan. They're located at 137 1/2 Main St, Hackensack, NJ 07601. If you're ever close to them, check them out!See More

Work History

E

Senior User Experience Researcher

ElsevierJun 2025 - Dec 2025 • 7 mosDrove rapid risk reduction and decision confidence for an AI-powered clinical platform in 6 months.
C

Senior User Experience Researcher

ConsenSysSep 2021 - Jan 2025 • 3 yrs 5 mosLed research across two Consensys flagship products (developer API and consumer platform) over 4 years.
A

User Experience Researcher

Ad Hoc LLCMay 2020 - Sep 2021 • 1 yr 5 mosExecuted evidence-based research to modernize CMS (Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services) healthcare quality reporting (HQR) system.
O

User Experience Researcher

OptumMay 2016 - May 2020 • 4 yrs 1 moConducted mixed-methods UX research on multiple healthcare products and internal tools.
R

Principal Investigator

Rutgers University–New BrunswickJan 2018 - May 2018 • 5 mos
M

Associate Project Manager (Internship)

Madison Square Garden Entertainment Corp.Jan 2016 - Mar 2016 • 3 mos
O

Business Analyst (Internship)

OptumJun 2015 - Aug 2015 • 3 mos
D

Technical Support Agent

Delta Millennium Inc.Feb 2015 - Jun 2015 • 5 mos
P

Assistant Strength and Conditioning Coach (Internship)

Princeton UniversityJun 2014 - Aug 2014 • 3 mos

Education

R

Rutgers University

Bachelor’s Of Arts, Information Technology and Informatics
R

Rutgers University

Master’s Degree, Library and Information Science

How Pangea Works

Effortlessly discover top talent

We've distilled the candidate search from endless hours down to just a few minutes. Using Pangea's AI-powered search tools, you can find top fractional talent able to take on your next project. Our system looks at your company's niche and your needs to find the perfect match faster than any traditional hiring platform.

Start working with talent today

The top talent on Pangea is ready to get started with you right now. You can message or hire a candidate right from their profile page and start assigning work as soon as they respond. And the best part? Pangea's fractional contract structure lets you start small and ramp up as your needs change, keeping your costs manageable and your team's capabliities flexible.

Track work and invoices in one place

Assign tasks, track progress, and complete invoices all on Pangea. We've combined every part of the hiring process into one platform to eliminate the miscommunication that's unavoidable on other freelance platforms. We even send out 1099s to your contractors at the end of the year!

Talk with a Talent Expert

Members of our team are available to help you speed through the hiring process.
Available Now
Book a Call
Senior UX Researcher | SaaS & AI | Turning Complex Systems into Confident Product Decisions
I’m a Senior UX Researcher specializing in AI-powered and data-intensive B2B SaaS products. I help teams make confident product decisions in complex environments where ambiguity, risk, and scale are high. My work focuses on mixed-methods research, system-level usability, and translating user insight into clear product direction. I partner closely with product, design, engineering, and leadership to align teams around evidence, not opinions. I’ve spent 10+ years helping fast-moving teams improve adoption, reduce rework, and ship more confidently across industries including health tech, enterprise platforms, and emerging AI systems. I’m currently open to Senior UX Researcher roles focused on AI, B2B SaaS, and complex product ecosystems, where research is valued as a strategic function.

Talk with a Talent Expert

Members of our team are available to help you speed through the hiring process.
Available Now
Book a Call

Top Talent like Tyreek are on Pangea

Pangea, a YC company, connects companies with fractional talent. Fractional hiring allows companies to move faster and work with more specialized talent, while giving talent more flexibility and independence. If you are talent open to fractional work, apply here. If you’re a company looking for high-quality fractional talent, learn more here.

Tyreek Houston, MLIS

User Researcher
Product Manager
Creative & Brand Strategist
Deptford, NJ, US
Storytelling
Participatory design
Usability Testing
Survey Design
Available for hire fromNegotiable
Contracts

Projects

Elsevier: ClinicalKey AI

ClinicalKey AI is a clinical information tool designed to help clinicians quickly retrieve clinical answers to medical questions at the point of care. In late 2025, the product team at Elsevier planned to release a major update to ClinicalKey AI for general availability. Shortly before launch, the engineering team replaced the entire AI backend that powered response generation, accelerating the release window. While this new backend gave the team more control and flexibility, it also introduced significant uncertainty. In healthcare, uncertainty is a risk. Even small gaps in response quality, clarity, or safety can undermine trust, slow adoption, or introduce clinical harm. I was brought in on a contractual basis (6 months) as the sole UX Researcher responsible for evaluating and reducing this risk before launch (Dec, 2025). I designed and led a longitudinal research study and risk mitigation workflow that helped the team understand real clinician behavior, uncover hidden failure modes, and operationalize a repeatable process for improving AI response quality. The result my work significantly impacted the response quality of the AI-powered SaaS and team efficiency. The model: achieved 100% remediation of all high-risk query classes. Accuracy: The model reached a 95% accuracy grade as measured by our Clinical SMEs, who benchmarked the AI responses against Elsevier’s proprietary library of medical journals. Operational Efficiency: The engineering and product team moved from 'guessing' what clinicians wanted to a repeatable 'Clinical Quality Engine' that reduced reliance on one-off fixes through the creation of a system behavior taxonomy. On-Time GA: Delivered actionable insights that converted to active development and product JIRA tickets within the 3-month accelerated window to meet the General Availability milestone.

Project Sharing with Infura

The leading Web3 API and node provider, Infura, supports critical blockchain infrastructure for enterprise clients representing over $300 billion in combined network value, including Splunk and major 11 Web3 blockchains. In Q1 of 2022, customer feedback and social media mentions identified a significant security vulnerability: without proper team collaboration capabilities, teams were implementing risky workarounds that threatened the integrity of their blockchain implementations. I recognized the urgency of addressing this product and security concern while maintaining Infura's reputation as a trusted blockchain infrastructure provider. As the first researcher on the team, I identified this as a strategic opportunity to drive product development with comprehensive research rather than assumptions. I proactively developed a comprehensive research strategy to address both security and collaboration needs of enterprise clients. I performed discovery research to understand how enterprise development teams collaborate on blockchain implementations, the organization-level security requirements they operate under, and the permission structures needed to meet compliance standards. Beyond standard research execution, I provided explicit implementation direction to the product team, helped prioritize the roadmap based on security impact, and collaborated with legal and security teams to ensure compliance requirements were met. I orchestrated cross-functional alignment between product, design, QA, development, engineering, marketing, business, data science, customer success, security, and legal teams to drive implementation end-to-end. On July 21st, 2022, Infura introduced enterprise-grade project sharing capabilities, enabling secure collaboration across organizational boundaries for institutional clients managing critical blockchain infrastructure.

MetaMask

MetaMask stands as the leading non-custodial Web3 Wallet in the blockchain technology industry, empowering developers, businesses, and users to secure cryptocurrencies and other digital assets with self-custody. As a cornerstone of the decentralized finance revolution, MetaMask plays a pivotal role in shaping the future of financial interactions. In my role as a Staff UX Researcher at MetaMask, I collaborate with exceptional professionals and partner with executive-level stakeholders to enhance the overall user experience across all MetaMask clients, including the Extension, Mobile, and Portfolio applications. My primary focus is on conducting strategic research that ensures a seamless and consistent user experience across platforms. By delving into nuanced business decisions and complex product questions, I uncover deep insights that drive impactful changes. Some of my significant research contributions include developing the first mobile usability testing framework for the company, securing a $1 million investment in mobile research that supported experimental product development, delivering strategic recommendations valued at $240 million, leading to the successful shipment of 4 new features and the enhancement of 4 existing features. Through my leadership and expertise, I continuously strive to drive revenue, reduce churn, and elevate the user experience, ensuring that MetaMask remains at the forefront of innovation in the Web3 space.

Bro-Ritos

Bro-Ritos is the only Food Truck in New Jersey offering burritos, which gives them a competitive niche in the Food Truck market. As they continue to grow, they wanted to do so strategically. They've generated a high demand for their service but they've also missed many opportunities due to only having one food truck and unsuitable weather conditions, since it's a seasonal business. So a team and I consulted Bro-Ritos to develop a strategic growth plan so that they can overcome obstacles they were faced with. As the only UX Researcher on the team, I approached the project by learning about Bro-Ritos business operations inside and out. I started by meeting with owners in an introduction meeting to identify their goals, needs and pain points. I learned that a lot of their operations and processes were not documented, which was a key reason the owners did not want to hire additional employees. Defining this problem enabled me to shape solutions intents. The owners and I agreed that creating a detailed operations flowchart along with business process documentation would streamline their on-boarding process as the team and business grew. Leading the creation of those two deliverables, I scheduled weekly recurring meetings with the owners to gather additional information, provide them the opportunity to give feedback, and iterate on the documentation. We learned that Bro-Ritos is more than a Food Truck; it's a brand that excites and delights their audience. They have a strong customer base, from individual consumers to corporate clients. To overcome seasonal weather barriers, the owners decided a storefront was the best solution. In 2020, Bro-Ritos opened their first flagship storefront from the recommendation in our strategic plan. They're located at 137 1/2 Main St, Hackensack, NJ 07601. If you're ever close to them, check them out!

Work History

E

Senior User Experience Researcher

ElsevierJun 2025 - Dec 2025 • 7 mosDrove rapid risk reduction and decision confidence for an AI-powered clinical platform in 6 months.
C

Senior User Experience Researcher

ConsenSysSep 2021 - Jan 2025 • 3 yrs 5 mosLed research across two Consensys flagship products (developer API and consumer platform) over 4 years.
A

User Experience Researcher

Ad Hoc LLCMay 2020 - Sep 2021 • 1 yr 5 mosExecuted evidence-based research to modernize CMS (Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services) healthcare quality reporting (HQR) system.
O

User Experience Researcher

OptumMay 2016 - May 2020 • 4 yrs 1 moConducted mixed-methods UX research on multiple healthcare products and internal tools.
R

Principal Investigator

Rutgers University–New BrunswickJan 2018 - May 2018 • 5 mos
M

Associate Project Manager (Internship)

Madison Square Garden Entertainment Corp.Jan 2016 - Mar 2016 • 3 mos
O

Business Analyst (Internship)

OptumJun 2015 - Aug 2015 • 3 mos
D

Technical Support Agent

Delta Millennium Inc.Feb 2015 - Jun 2015 • 5 mos
P

Assistant Strength and Conditioning Coach (Internship)

Princeton UniversityJun 2014 - Aug 2014 • 3 mos

Education

R

Rutgers University

Bachelor’s Of Arts, Information Technology and Informatics
R

Rutgers University

Master’s Degree, Library and Information Science

How Pangea Works

Effortlessly discover top talent

We've distilled the candidate search from endless hours down to just a few minutes. Using Pangea's AI-powered search tools, you can find top fractional talent able to take on your next project. Our system looks at your company's niche and your needs to find the perfect match faster than any traditional hiring platform.

Start working with talent today

The top talent on Pangea is ready to get started with you right now. You can message or hire a candidate right from their profile page and start assigning work as soon as they respond. And the best part? Pangea's fractional contract structure lets you start small and ramp up as your needs change, keeping your costs manageable and your team's capabliities flexible.

Track work and invoices in one place

Assign tasks, track progress, and complete invoices all on Pangea. We've combined every part of the hiring process into one platform to eliminate the miscommunication that's unavoidable on other freelance platforms. We even send out 1099s to your contractors at the end of the year!

Talk with a Talent Expert

Members of our team are available to help you speed through the hiring process.
Available Now
Book a Call
Pangea empowers fractional work across the world for marketing and design roles.