Learning by Doing: Reflections from a Summer Internship at Locus Robotics

Every year, college students worldwide dedicate significant time and energy to pursuing one highly sought-after opportunity—a summer internship. These roles are often seen as a way to strengthen a résumé, explore career paths, and reach an early professional milestone. But when I began mine alongside 21 other interns at Locus Robotics, the experience quickly proved far more meaningful than even I anticipated. 

With our roles spanning Marketing, Engineering, Data Science, Supply Chain, and more, despite working across very different areas of the business, many of us discovered the same thing: the most valuable growth came from stepping into unfamiliar work, asking questions, and learning by doing. 

Building Confidence Through Real-World Experience 

With no background in warehouse automation or robotics, I had plenty of questions and was grateful to be surrounded by people eager to answer them. Every conversation and assignment gave me a better understanding of how the industry works, what Locus Robotics customers need, and where my own work fit. 

One of my most impactful projects was developing an AI agent designed to help the team think more strategically about personalization across the customer journey. 

Working with team members across Marketing helped me connect what I had learned in the classroom—about consumer behavior and digital marketing strategy—to a real business challenge. It also gave me a better understanding of the customer audiences and the different kinds of information they each need along the way. 

Testing and refining different approaches became one of my favorite parts of the project because I could see how those insights might translate into more relevant, personalized information. It was also extremely rewarding to know that my work would help inform how the team thinks about personalization in the future. 

Another project gave me a different view into how Marketing turns customer understanding into something useful: writing content for the Locus Robotics blog. Working with Senior Content Marketing Manager Mary Hart, I saw firsthand how modern content comes into existence, for both human and AI-based consumption. 

The process strengthened my writing while teaching me to think beyond the words on the page. I learned how content is shaped for clarity, discoverability, reader value, and broader marketing goals—and how much stronger the final result becomes through collaboration and iteration. 

Experiences like these made me more comfortable taking ownership of my work, contributing ideas, and tackling assignments even when I was still learning. 

Lessons from Across the Intern Class 

By the time we gathered for our Intern Presentation Day, it was clear that this kind of growth extended well beyond my own. Other interns’ projects ranged from robotics software testing and manufacturing engineering to People Operations and work across many other areas of Locus Robotics. 

What stood out was not only what everyone accomplished, but how much more we understood by the end of the summer about the problems we were solving, the people we were supporting, and how our contributions connected to the larger organization: 

• People Operations Intern Casey Chamberlin described the most rewarding part of her experience as “being trusted with meaningful work and seeing how my contributions made a real difference.” Through hands-on experience with HRIS systems, she applied classroom knowledge in a real-world setting and saw the impact of her work. 

• Robotics Software Test Engineering Intern Karla Sahin described one of her favorite moments as “seeing my programs work on Locus Array.” Her projects addressed needs raised by product managers and employees on site, allowing her to see a direct connection between what she developed and how it was applied. 

Our projects and responsibilities may have looked very different, but we were all learning how to adapt, contribute, and advocate for ourselves along the way. 

Advice for Future Locus Robotics Interns 

As my internship comes to an end, one piece of advice shared by Manufacturing Engineering Intern Alexa Harabedian, keeps coming back to me: remain “curious, flexible, and creative.” After this summer, those words ring especially true. 

I came to Locus Robotics knowing very little about warehouse automation, and I am leaving with a much deeper understanding of the industry and more confidence stepping into something unfamiliar, figuring out what I need to learn, and trusting myself to contribute along the way. 

For anyone beginning an internship or entering a field they do not yet know, I would add a few lessons of my own: 

• Ask the question you might otherwise hold back. 

• Step outside your comfort zone and volunteer for something unfamiliar. 

• Learn from people outside your immediate world. Talk to people whose roles look nothing like yours. 

• Make the most of the opportunity to contribute when someone places their trust in you. 

I am especially grateful to my manager, Vered Tomlak, Vice President of Growth Marketing, whose guidance helped me navigate new challenges throughout the summer, as well as the many people across Locus Robotics who took the time to answer my questions, share their experiences, and trusted me to roll up my sleeves and do work that matters. 

The value of this summer will extend far beyond the projects I completed. Thanks to this internship, I am leaving with a different way to think about learning, contribution, and the kind of teammate I want to be. 

About the Author 

Shannon Bailat is a Marketing Intern at Locus Robotics and a rising fourth-year student at Northeastern University, where she studies Business Administration with a concentration in Marketing Analytics and a minor in Microeconomics. She has experience in growth marketing, analytics, and social media strategy and is passionate about using data-driven insights and creative storytelling to engage audiences and support business growth.