>The problem is that I have not been able to find any jobs in my area that actually allow me to do this. This is because they don't exist. The people who have

>The problem is that I have not been able to find any jobs in my area that actually allow me to do this. This is because they don't exist. The people who have these jobs have created them; they weren't handed these jobs by their employers. This often requires going above and beyond the pay grade, doing not only your work but whatever needs to be done. i.e: it is a momentary expenditure of a scarce ressource to reach escape velocity. This is something I believe the majority of people will shy away from for fear of being a sucker or because they'd work "more than they're compensated for". I understand where they're coming from and that people have different circumstances and that there are abusive employers who'll take advantage of you, but you won't know if the envelope is set by yourself or your employer unless you expand it. If you do what most people do, you get what most people get. There is a risk, but if you're in a good organization, there is payoff, and if you are in a bad organization, you'll get to know that quicker than if you had worked at a leisurely pace. What I mean by going above and beyond: being good at the job and tasks you have been given is table steaks. That's your official job. Your mandate, though, is to make your team and organization win. Here's a reply that draws the contours of what I mean: https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=25367011 https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=25367011 There's a lot to do at any company or organization that is not being done for a number of reasons. You can go ahead and be helpful and you'll be dealing with a lot of problems that will knock boredom out of you.