Jessica Polak

User Experience Researcher at Cradle

Zurich, Switzerland

About

Experience

  • Cradle (10 mos)
    • User Experience Researcher
      Feb 2026 - Present · 6 mos

    • User Experience Researcher
      Oct 2025 - Jan 2026 · 4 mos

  • Berufsausbildung at Career Break
    Oct 2024 - Sep 2025 · 1 yr

    > Strengthened skills in Python, SQL, various data science libraries and generative AI through targeted online courses and hands-on projects (Coursera, Codecademy) > Consulted on successful integration of bioengineering devices into pre-clinical workflows, co-authored publication (Children’s University Hospital Zurich / University Hospital of Zurich)

  • ETH Zürich (Full-time · 6 yrs 2 mos)
    • Research Scientist
      Jul 2018 - Aug 2024 · 6 yrs 2 mos

      > Led R&D of bioengineering devices to address critical challenges in skin tissue engineering, increasing experimental success rate of in vitro skin models by 30% > Drove user-centered product development, collaborated with expert users to define requirements, iterate on design based on usability testing and output quality metrics > Initiated cross-functional collaborations with engineers, implemented an automated image analysis pipeline and computational models to analyze and validate biological findings > Launched internal, cross-disciplinary journal club to foster interdisciplinary knowledge transfer and problem-solving approaches > Presented research talks at national and international conferences, supervised student theses

    • Teaching Assistant
      Jul 2018 - Jan 2024 · 5 yrs 7 mos

      > Designed and led a course on cross-disciplinary communication and user-centered design in healthcare, collaborated with healthcare professionals to define clinically relevant projects > Mentored cross-disciplinary student teams through design and development of digital/hardware prototypes for infectious diseases control; successfully deployed during the COVID-19 pandemic

    • Biosafety Officer & Laboratory Manager
      Jul 2018 - Jan 2024 · 5 yrs 7 mos

      Led biosafety concept implementation, managed authorities audits, maintenance, staff training, materials inventory and chemical/biological hazards

  • User Experience Researcher at SKINTEGRITY.CH
    Jul 2018 - Dec 2019 · 1 yr 6 mos

    > Led end-to-end UX research project, combined mixed-methods (survey, interviews, observational studies, workshop) to identify pain points and actionable user needs in skin equivalent fabrication > Translated UX research insights into organizational strategy, advised leadership on future roadmaps, grant writing, resulting in successful acquisition of project funding > Coordinated consortium-wide protocol standardization for data comparability and accessibility

  • Research Assistant at ETH Zürich
    Nov 2016 - Aug 2017 · 10 mos

    Conducted proof of concept and feasibility study on an automated process for fabricating personalized skin grafts (University Children's Hospital Zurich), co-authored two publications