Greenfield coding projects are very rare, except in consultancy, but even there you'll have to maintain what you build. Refactoring however can be the same type

Greenfield coding projects are very rare, except in consultancy, but even there you'll have to maintain what you build. Refactoring however can be the same type of thing. IMO use this opportunity to write tests and learn to refactor. Most developer jobs will be exactly like this, learn to embrace the suck and find the joy in the refactoring. Eventually you'll get the skills to get a better job or start a consultancy. You might also prefer being a business systems analyst where you spec projects instead of build them. IME BSAs work on a lot of the stuff you mention you like and developers just slog through the coding parts.