a) it's not absolute b) you could apply to phd programs and get a phd. But yes, it's impossible to get into R&D labs if you've never done research. You can se

a) it's not absolute b) you could apply to phd programs and get a phd. But yes, it's impossible to get into R&D labs if you've never done research. You can self-teach and publish in top conferences on your own (this is probably much harder than you think it is but is not impossible!), or you can defer income to get an education from one of the many structured educational programs designed to teach you how to do research. I'm not sure why you expect industry R&D labs (as a researcher, that is) to hire people who do not already know how to do the job. They are companies, not guilds or universities. Software Engineering positions certainly require people to already know how to program, after all. How is this any different?