I mean, it's well within possibility for you to spend 20 years as SWE earning six figures, and then retire early to be an independent researcher. As long as yo

I mean, it's well within possibility for you to spend 20 years as SWE earning six figures, and then retire early to be an independent researcher. As long as you are happy to explore a field that doesn't require millions of dollars of equipment and aren't competing for fame, there's nothing stopping you.