When I first joined Dogtooth Technologies, I was still in the early stages of my career — fresh from university, brimming with curiosity, and eager to apply my skills to something meaningful. I studied Robotics Engineering at the University of Bristol, with a strong interest in robotics, AI, and their applications in solving real-world problems. Agriculture, I’ll admit, wasn’t initially the first sector I imagined working in, but the idea of working with a company that was pushing the boundaries of automation and robotics in the field quickly caught my attention.
Dogtooth stood out to me for two reasons: its innovative approach to agricultural robotics, and the genuine enthusiasm I felt from the team during the interview process. The company wasn’t just building robots — it was building solutions for complex, real-world challenges, like improving efficiency and reducing labour pressures in farming. The chance to work on systems that operate in such dynamic, unpredictable environments was an opportunity I couldn’t pass up.
Over the course of my internship, I had the privilege of working on a wide variety of projects. Some of these were highly technical — developing tools for performance analysis, improving data processing pipelines, and refining algorithms to make our robots more reliable in the field. Other work was more exploratory, such as testing and iterating new features that pushed our systems closer to production readiness. One of my favourite projects was developing a tool that measured performance of the robot’s abilities to pick strawberries at a permutation of approach vectors. It was challenging, often involving digging deep into messy real-world data and teasing out the story hidden inside. But the satisfaction of seeing something you’ve built make life easier for the rest of the team — that’s hard to beat.
In my time here, I’ve learned an incredible amount — not just about robotics and software engineering, but about problem-solving in the face of uncertainty. Technical skills aside, one of the biggest lessons has been learning how to work effectively in a multidisciplinary team. Dogtooth’s engineers, designers, and field teams all bring different perspectives, and the company culture encourages collaboration and open discussion. I’ve also developed soft skills I know will serve me well in the future — from communicating complex technical issues clearly, to taking ownership of my work, to adapting quickly when things don’t go to plan (which, in robotics, they sometimes don’t!).
The work environment here is something special. There’s a real sense of camaraderie; people are not only highly skilled but also genuinely invested in helping each other grow. Mentors have been generous with their time and knowledge, and I’ve always felt trusted to contribute meaningfully. Even on the busiest days, there’s room for humour, problem-solving together over a whiteboard, or celebrating small wins as a team.
Looking back, some of my highlights include seeing our robots successfully navigate tricky conditions in the field, debugging a stubborn problem moments before a test deadline, and those satisfying moments when code you’ve written suddenly “just works” after hours of troubleshooting. Each challenge overcome has been a step forward — not just for the project, but for my own development as an engineer.
Now, as I prepare to leave Dogtooth to pursue a PhD in Defence and Security, I feel incredibly grateful for the experience. My time here has reinforced the value of working on challenging, real-world problems alongside talented people who are passionate about what they do.
For future interns considering Dogtooth, my advice is simple: say yes. You’ll be trusted with real responsibility, you’ll learn faster than you think possible, and you’ll leave with skills and experiences that will shape the rest of your career. It’s a place where curiosity is valued, initiative is rewarded, and where the work you do has a tangible impact.
Thank you, Dogtooth, for the opportunity, the challenges, and the memories. It’s been a privilege to be part of the team, and hopefully our paths shall cross again.
🙂
