I'm sure most labs would kill for a 'don't care about the salary' skilled software engineer. You might start out just following orders but once you're on the gr

I'm sure most labs would kill for a 'don't care about the salary' skilled software engineer. You might start out just following orders but once you're on the ground floor you'll pick up the jargon, you'll see what research is currently 'hot', and if you pay attention and stay informed you'll find yourself moving in the direction of industry expertise. As long as you can get your foot in the door there's no requirement to go back to school.