Amazon
London
I completed the placement as an Operations Engineer within Amazon's Robotic Deployment Engineering team. My role sat at the intersection of robotics, systems engineering, and operational research, supporting deployment of automated warehouse systems at scale. My core project addressed a key engineering challenge: coordinating multiple parallel robotics deployments without duplicating effort or losing consistency. I designed three integrated solutions: 1. An AI-powered scheduling tool that algorithmically generates optimised project timelines from structured deployment data, reducing planning time from days to minutes. 2. A systems documentation architecture that formally defines each deployment task, its dependencies, and engineering requirements, creating a single source of truth across teams. 3. A standardised safety documentation framework applying risk analysis methodologies across all workstreams, ensuring compliance with industrial safety standards. The technical environment involved robotics hardware commissioning, software tool development using AI/ML platforms, and data-driven decision-making for resource allocation. I operated within cross-functional teams spanning mechanical, electrical, controls, and software engineering. This placement developed applied skills in automation, process optimisation, and systems thinking, directly complementing my academic foundation in engineering.
As an Operations Engineer on the Robotic Deployment Engineering team, I was responsible for end-to-end technical delivery of automated systems within live fulfilment environments. My contributions spanned software development, process engineering, and hardware commissioning. Key contributions: AI Timeline App: I developed an automation tool using an internal AI/ML platform that ingests project data and outputs optimised deployment schedules. It applies dependency-mapping logic to generate critical-path timelines, eliminating manual scheduling and reducing planning overhead by ~90%. Systems Documentation Architecture: I engineered a centralised knowledge base formally defining every deployment task, its prerequisites, acceptance criteria, and inter-task dependencies. This created a scalable, version-controlled reference system across disciplines. Safety Documentation Framework: I developed a standardised risk assessment and compliance system, applying hazard identification methodologies across parallel workstreams to ensure consistent safety engineering standards. Hardware Deployment: I led commissioning of 10 robotic stations as part of a major outbound expansion, coordinating mechanical installation, electrical integration, and system validation testing. Throughout, I applied systems engineering principles to manage concurrent projects, using data-driven dashboards to monitor progress and allocate resources across competing priorities.
- AI/ML Application Development: Built automation tools using generative AI platforms, including prompt engineering, structured data ingestion, and algorithm design for scheduling optimisation. - Programming & Software: Python scripting, Excel (advanced formulae/macros), and internal BI platforms (QuickSight) for dashboard creation and data visualisation. - Systems Engineering: Applied dependency mapping, critical path analysis, and process modelling to coordinate parallel robotics deployments. - Robotics Hardware: Hands-on commissioning of robotic stations including mechanical assembly, electrical integration, sensor calibration, and system validation testing. - Data Analytics: Designed operational dashboards tracking deployment KPIs, resource utilisation, and project health metrics across concurrent workstreams. - Documentation Engineering: Built structured technical documentation systems with version control, task taxonomies, and standardised templates for cross-team scalability. - Project Coordination Tools: Asana, Microsoft Project, Gantt chart generation, milestone tracking, and cross-functional scheduling across engineering disciplines.
- Cross-functional Communication: Coordinated daily with mechanical, electrical, controls, and software engineers, translating requirements between disciplines to maintain alignment. - Stakeholder Management: Presented project updates and risk assessments to senior leadership, adapting communication for both technical and non-technical audiences. - Project Ownership: Managed end-to-end delivery of concurrent workstreams, prioritising tasks and balancing resource constraints across parallel deployments. - Initiative & Leadership: Identified process inefficiencies independently and proposed solutions, leading to three new tools adopted by the wider team. - Collaboration: Worked across multiple sites and remote teams, building relationships to drive consensus on shared standards and documentation. - Event Organisation: Planned and delivered a team volunteering event, managing logistics, stakeholder buy-in, and cross-team scheduling. - Adaptability: Transitioned between strategic planning and hands-on floor operations daily, adjusting approach based on shifting priorities in a fast-paced environment.