Florida International University graduate Jose Maldonado was recently featured in the College of Engineering & Computing’s Alumni Spotlight. Currently, he works at one of the largest video gaming brands owned by Microsoft.
Born in Quito, Ecuador, Jose graduated with a bachelor’s degree in computer science (CS) in 2017. In a series of interviews with FIU, he talked about how his undergrad years prepared him for success at a high-performing company like Microsoft.
Jose also told FIU’s Irene Ferradaz about the added value of work as a research assistant in the College of Engineering and Computing’s Discover Lab. As an undergrad, he joined StartUP FIU, where he co-founded one of the largest student organizations at FIU.
Jose created Upsilo Pi Epsilon (UPE) along with Cesar Villa-Garcia and a team of friends during late nights in the offices of StartUP FIU.
“StartUP FIU provided UPE with the ideal space to foster a super-charged intellectual environment geared towards those who want to succeed in tech,” he said.
Jose says he would advise students to check-in with UPE. “These types of organizations often have relationships with employers or people who might connect you to your next opportunity,” he said.
“Contrary to popular belief, I spend about half of my time programming,” he told FIU. “The other time is spent collaborating with peers on designing solutions and solving technical problems,” he said.
On any given workday at xCloud, Jose reserves his mornings to catch up on emails and meet with coworkers. “The afternoons are spent coding. I also appreciate that my workplace offers flexibility, and I can work remote from home or at the office,” he added.
The coolest thing about his job so far? “I get to work on things that bring people joy and fun!,” he said. Jose has also started a master’s program in learning sciences and human development at the University of Washington. He is hoping to use the skills he learned during his undergraduate years to get more involved with educational tech, possibly in the VR space.
“My training as an engineer meant I had a specific framework embedded in my mind,” Maldonado says. “At StartUP FIU, we learned it takes a whole other set of equally important skills to build something and bring it to market.”
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