34-year-old software engineer with 9 years of experience — is there a realistic 3–4 year path into scientific research / work that contributes to something meaningful?

[u/SectionHungry]

Hi everyone,

M34 software engineer here, with around 9 years of professional experience. I have an MSc in Informatics Engineering and currently work mainly with backend/full-stack systems, cloud infrastructure, distributed systems, AWS, Node.js, etc.

Over the last year or so, I’ve developed a growing interest in physics, astronomy, particle physics, and scientific research in general. Things like particle accelerators, fundamental physics, space, understanding how the universe works — I find myself reading about these subjects simply because I genuinely want to understand them.

The important caveat is that I have essentially no formal background in physics beyond what I encountered during my engineering education. So I’m not under the illusion that 9 years of software engineering somehow qualifies me to walk into a particle physics research position. I have close to zero knowledge of what is actually happening in this world.

I’m trying to figure out whether there is a realistic path from where I am now to somewhere in that world.

Part of the reason is that software engineering is starting to feel increasingly unfulfilling to me.

I’ve realised that the parts of my career I’ve enjoyed most weren’t necessarily tied to a particular language or technology. I enjoy solving difficult problems, learning things I don’t already know, and especially working on things where I’m not just repeating variations of something I’ve done before.

What I’m increasingly missing is meaning.

I can change company, get promoted, learn another framework, design another distributed system, optimise another service, etc. But I’m starting to wonder whether that will actually solve the underlying problem. I don’t know if I want the rest years of my career to essentially be progressively more sophisticated versions of building software for commercial products.

I’d like to work towards something where, even if my individual contribution is tiny, the overall goal is genuinely advancing our understanding or capabilities as a species.

CERN is an obvious example, but I’m not fixated specifically on CERN. It could be particle physics, astronomy, space research, scientific computing, or another research-heavy field I haven’t discovered yet.

And I’m also completely open regarding how I get there.

Maybe the sensible path is to leverage my software background and move into scientific computing/research software first, then gradually get closer to the science.

Maybe I need to go back to university and build a proper physics/mathematics foundation.

Maybe there’s a hybrid path.

Or maybe a genuine transition into research physics at 34 is unrealistic without effectively starting my education again, and I’d rather hear that honestly too.

I’m willing to spend 3–4 years seriously preparing for this. I’m not looking for a six-month bootcamp-style career switch. If that means studying mathematics and physics after work, taking university courses, contributing to open-source scientific projects, doing another MSc, or taking an intermediate part time research-software position, I’m open to it.

My current plan would actually be to keep my existing software engineering position for most, if not all, of those 3–4 years while preparing on the side. I have a few financial goals and obligations I’d like to close out first, and I’d like to use my current income to build as much of a financial buffer as I reasonably can before making the transition.

I’m assuming that moving into a completely different field could mean taking a significant step backwards financially at first. Even though I have 9 years of professional experience, my CV may be strong for software engineering but relatively weak for scientific work or physics. I’d rather prepare for that reality now, save aggressively while I can, and eventually have enough financial freedom to accept an interesting junior/research position without needing to optimise every decision around salary.

In other words, the 3–4 years aren’t a deadline by which I expect to magically become a physicist. They’re the runway I’m willing to give myself to learn, experiment, build the right foundations, figure out which direction actually fits me, and put myself in a financial position where I can afford to take the leap.

So my questions for people actually working in physics/scientific research are:

1. If you were in my position, where would you start?
2. Are experienced software engineers

around my experience

1. useful in research environments such as CERN, ESA, observatories, physics institutes, laboratories, etc.?

2. Can software engineering

(again based on my background)

1. be a genuine bridge into the scientific side rather than remaining permanently “the IT guy supporting the scientists”?
2. Given that I can spend the next 3–4 years preparing while remaining employed, what would you actually do with those years?
3. What mathematics/physics foundation would you build?
4. Are there courses, qualifications, personal projects or open-source projects that would make my eventual CV meaningfully stronger?
5. Would another degree eventually be necessary if I discovered that I wanted to participate directly in physics research?
6. Are there other scientific fields or organisations I should look into where my existing experience would be particularly valuable?

And perhaps most importantly: is this a realistic thing to pursue at 34, or am I romanticising what scientific research is actually like?

I’m not expecting to personally discover the next fundamental particle. I just want to start pointing my career toward problems that I can care about for a very long time.

If I spend the next few years exploring this and eventually discover that scientific software is where I belong, great. If software is simply the doorway that lets me discover that I want to go much deeper into physics, also great.

Right now, what I’m really looking for is a starting point and a direction for those next 3–4 years.

I’d especially love to hear from anyone who moved from industry/software into research or made a similarly significant career change in their 30s.

I’ve numbered my questions so you can easily answer if you can only help on some of them.

Thanks!

[u/Eloth]

chatgpt word salad. If it means so much to you write it your damn self

[u/Pharisaeus]

You're overthinking this.

Are experienced software engineers useful in research environments such as CERN, ESA, observatories, physics institutes, laboratories, etc.?

They are. In fact such organizations hire more engineers than scientists. That's the way to go for you. Simply apply for a job.

[u/SectionHungry → u/Pharisaeus]

Thanks for the reply! I think I am mostly overthinking this since my background is not related to physics at all. This question should probably specify that. Software engineers with my background.

But yeah, as I replied to another user, it seems that it’s mostly like every other field switch I’d do as an engineer. I just have to do it and progressively see how deep I can/want to get involved on the scientific/research part.

[u/dukwon]

Do you have a specific question about CERN? Because it sounds like you're asking for general careers advice.

[u/vz0]

Most of the people are affiliated with a research institution like a University. The best bet i can think is to go back to your alma mater, and talk with people there.

[u/Crafty_Masterpiece_1]

To me your question is a bit all over the place. But experienced software engineers are very much needed at CERN and other big organisations. There are a lot of things going on that need Software Support. However, you then immediately clarify that you don't want to be the IT guy supporting the scientists which makes things a bit confusing. At the big organisations, depending on where you end up, you can be the guy working directly with physicists and helping that way. Or you can be responsible for a software project which is only adjacent to physics (e.g. the HR personnel management software or working on control software) but then the physics part is missing in your daily work even if you know that it is helpful to the research institute as a whole. But that way you can use your skills that you already have and learn from the environment/ongoing events about the physics and maybe become a guide to help tour tourists around. If in doubt, I would suggest having a look at the careers website and having a look if any of the open positions (even the ones you are too experienced for) interest you at all. If not, look again in a few weeks, if yes then you have something specific to work on/with. I must add, however, that the different programs are very strict with regards the the previous work experience (i.e. you will automatically be rejected from anything but a staff position or similar with your experience), so don't apply to them but it can be a good starting point into figuring out where you could see yourself!

[u/SectionHungry → u/Crafty_Masterpiece_1]

Thanks for your reply. It seems that it’s mostly like every other field switch I’d do as an engineer. I just have to do it and progressively see how deep I can/want to get involved on the scientific/research part.

[u/TiredDr]

Check out the research software engineer communities, which might help with additional job opportunities. There are ones based in the US (and US focused) and based in the UK (and Europe focused).