Thanks for clarifying. Given the interests you cite (e.g. AI R&D), a specialized degree might be necessary to break into the field - I don’t really see a clear

Thanks for clarifying. Given the interests you cite (e.g. AI R&D), a specialized degree might be necessary to break into the field - I don’t really see a clear path from “starting a new career in IT” to “working on advanced topics” that doesn’t include a degree or a few years of work and regular promotions/job changes. Re junior positions, they’re often not the most interesting jobs, unless you have a specific interest in learning the ropes (or you love fixing bugs and handling JIRA tickets ;) - hence my remark. A final thought: if working remotely is on the table, i.e. if you’re not explicitely looking for a local job and the accompanying social interactions, maybe you can look at working remotely for a US company. Hit the latest “who’s hiring” post, look at remote job postings that sound interesting, and contact the recruiter to see if your profile could interest them and if not what you would need (degree, portfolio, previous experience) before applying again.