I also had a good experience as a research software engineer. Tons of autonomy and fun work. Reasonable expectations and no overwork. But it was barely a job, I

I also had a good experience as a research software engineer. Tons of autonomy and fun work. Reasonable expectations and no overwork. But it was barely a job, I got paid like a tenth of what I make in industry. Once I saw the kinds of offers friends were getting, I was out. (My research institute didn’t have a concept of “research software engineer” so I was paid as a generic research assistant.)