Adam Dixon-Chapman is a Staff Software Engineer focusing on Telematics solutions within Samsara’s connected operations platform. With more than 20 years of experience under his belt, one thing that has shaped his career throughout is a passion for customer-centric innovation. 

Here, he reveals how harnessing technology to solve complex, real-world problems, is providing the challenge he needs for a fulfilling and rewarding engineering role at Samsara.  

Where did you start your career in engineering? 

I started my career in Australia in the early 2000s, working in a similar space to Samsara. You could say that it was “connected cloud operations” – but before "connected" and "cloud" were even a thing. Back then, of course, everything was low-bandwidth local networks and dialup, with only sporadic connectivity – if we were lucky. 

But I was working in industries like mining, logistics, and waste management. And the core goals were much the same as Samsara’s now – worker safety and efficiency – although we had far fewer resources to work with back then. Even though that’s more than 20 years ago, that experience made an impact and stayed with me. It probably goes a long way to explain why I’m with Samsara today.

What did you do after that? 

After working in the connected operations space for a few years, I moved to the UK and became a contractor across a variety of industries. It was a completely different ball game, but I quickly got a feel for each customer’s needs. I’d have to build a system for them under tight timelines – often using new tech – before swiftly moving on to the next project. 

It helped me hone a strong customer-centric approach – designing solutions that truly addressed client pain points. I stayed contracting for about a decade before taking a role with TripAdvisor, where I progressed from Senior Engineer to Senior Principal Engineer over eight years.

Why did you join Samsara?

Like most things, it happened by chance. And I guess the fact that I had started my engineering career in a similar field helped pique my interest. But after speaking with the leadership team, I was struck by how clear and focused they were about the company’s mission and path forward. Samsara’s approach wasn’t just about rapid growth – it was about sustainable growth. That was at the beginning of 2023 – and two years later, I’m still excited to be part of it.

What’s your current role at Samsara?

I’m a Staff Engineer in the Telematics business unit. I was brought in as the first Staff Software Engineer outside the US just as the company was expanding telematics engineering to the UK and Poland. My role is less about managing a team and more about guiding them – connecting the dots across initiatives and giving technical advice to help them stay aligned.

Telematics is a fascinating area to work in. At its core, it involves tracking the telemetry of vehicles and assets – anything from location tracking to interpreting signals from various units within a vehicle to monitor its health. We provide data that informs other Samsara solutions, like safety features or maintenance alerts, as well as offerings in compliance, sustainability, and fleet operations.

What are some of the biggest technical challenges you’ve faced?

I can’t give too much away because we’re still in development, but a major project we’re working on now involves enhancing our compliance offering to function in extremely remote areas where network coverage is limited. It requires rethinking which parts of the system we can move to edge computing to ensure functionality – even without connectivity. It’s a really exciting project because it allows us to leverage the onboard computing resources in each vehicle to provide the sophisticated features that Samsara customers want in these challenging environments.

That sounds complex. Is tackling challenges at this scale something that motivates you?

Absolutely. I thrive on working with large, distributed systems. And Samsara’s scale just keeps expanding. Balancing rapid innovation with the demands of our growing customer base keeps things really engaging.

What’s the engineering culture like at Samsara?

We’re big on autonomy and ownership. We want engineers to take pride in the systems and interfaces they build. What’s more, we want them to feel empowered to innovate, while – at the same time – staying connected with the larger team goals. It’s all about striking a balance between providing guidance and allowing for learning and exploration.

Are there formal opportunities for learning and growth?

Yes, we have mentorship programmes and access to learning platforms. You’re not spoon-fed – we encourage everyone to “own their growth”. But we also provide resources and a strong culture of collaboration where engineers help each other climb the ladder.

How do you influence the architectural direction at Samsara?

My role involves guiding teams to think about target architectures, even if they’re a few years out. Having a long-term vision helps make informed decisions about each project. Personally, I advocate for event-driven systems. Why? Because they tend to model problem spaces in ways that feel natural, they are simple to scale and extend, and they’re easily relatable to customers.

What is it about your engineering role – and working at Samsara – that motivates you every day? 

For me, it’s the combination of scale, complexity, and purpose that drives me. At Samsara, we're not just building software – we’re creating solutions that impact real-world industries where safety, efficiency, and connectivity are crucial. 

Every day, we work with large, distributed systems for clients in sectors like logistics, construction, and heavy industry, where our technology helps streamline operations, improve safety, and support sustainability. It’s a high-wire act of pushing innovation while meeting the growing needs of larger, more complex customers. And honestly, I love it – the problem-solving, the collaboration, and seeing our tech make a tangible difference. That’s what motivates me every day.

You can find out more about Samsara’s open positions here.