Originally from New Mexico, Armando began his film career in 2005, eventually becoming a union production coordinator. He later transitioned into visual effects, landing at Paramount Pictures.

His experience in production and VFX made him a good fit for virtual reality when it emerged in 2015. Armando joined the pioneering VR studio Vrse.works (later Here Be Dragons) as Head of Post Production and Executive Producer. During this time he worked with numerous award-winning directors, including: two-time Academy Award nominee Lucy Walker on A History of Cuban Dance and The Vodou Healer; Sundance Grand Jury Prize nominee Sandy Smolan on The Click Effect, which was nominated for an Emmy; and Imraan Ismail on The Displaced, which won the Grand Prix at Cannes. He also produced Take Flight, starring Benicio del Toro, Michael Fassbender, and Charlize Theron.

In 2016, Armando began working as a freelance Director of Virtual Reality. He collaborated with Academy Award Best Picture nominee, Luca Guadagnino, on two VR films featuring acclaimed artists Rob Pruitt and Taryn Simon. He also worked with Independent Spirit Award winner Gina Prince-Bythewood on LA Noir, a nine-episode VR film noir series starring Natalie Portman, Kristen Stewart, and Don Cheadle, which won an AICP Next Award.

In 2017, Armando began creating his own original work. His first solo directorial project, Mercy, was a VR film combining documentary footage shot on location in Cameroon with 3D-animated dream sequences created by social impact artist Sutu. The project was funded and developed through the Oculus VR for Good Creators Lab. It was an official selection at Tribeca and SXSW, and later exhibited at the National Center for Civil and Human Rights in Atlanta, Georgia.

In 2019, he directed A Life in Flowers, a project that combined VR with artificial intelligence, featuring renowned botanical sculptor Azuma Makoto. The project was in competition at the Venice Biennale and was exhibited at the Phi Centre in Montreal, Canada, and received favorable coverage in Art Critique. His final VR film, Nothing is Safe (2022), was an official selection of the Cannes Marché du Film.

Armando’s work in interactive VR and artificial intelligence led him to launch his own startup. He co-founded Artie, an AI company focused on real-time, multi-modal avatars for gaming and entertainment. He served as President and CTO, building a 45-person team and raising nearly $40 million in venture capital from numerous notable investors, including Founder's Fund, Warner Music Group, Tyler and Cameron Winklevoss, Kevin Durant, Naomi Osaka, and YouTube founder Chad Hurley. His technical leadership led to innovations in voice-based interaction, AI model optimization, and blockchain gaming—resulting in several U.S. patents. The company was acquired in 2024.

Armando has been featured in numerous press outlets, including Forbes, Variety, The Hollywood Reporter, Business Insider, and LA Weekly, which named him one of the “Top Ten Innovative Minds Disrupting the Entertainment Space.” He has spoken on the future of entertainment and AI at venues including Google, Meta, Sundance, the Venice Biennale, SXSW, AWE, and SCAD AnimationFest.