Ask HN: High Pay to High Impact – Tips?

Hello HN community,

I am a senior scientist at a UARC (University Affiliated Research Center) with a strong focus in machine learning, and over the years, I've had the privilege of seeing one of my projects go fleetwide. Additionally, I completed both my master's and PhD in machine learning while holding down a full-time job - an enriching journey that has honed my math and computer science skills.

My role at the UARC has been fulfilling, but it's entirely soft money funded which means I'm consistently required to bring in a significant amount of funding (around 600k annually) just to sustain my position. This has led to a shift where I find myself spending more time writing proposals than actually engaging in meaningful research, the part of my job that I truly love and excel at.

Although the lab seems to be gravitating more towards 6.3 and 6.4 projects, my passion truly lies in 6.1 and 6.2 work. I'm proud to say that I've managed to maintain a consistent track record of publishing as a first author yearly, a practice many colleagues seem to abandon after earning their PhD.

At 39 years old, I find myself yearning for a career shift where I can focus more on research that makes an impact and can be published, without the constant worry of having to secure funding. I'm more than willing to take a pay cut if it means being able to do the work I love.

So, I come to you, dear HN community, in search of advice. Where might someone with my experience and desire to continue contributing to meaningful and publishable research look for opportunities? How should I market myself for this transition?

I'm eager to hear your thoughts and greatly appreciate any suggestions or guidance you may be able to provide.

Thank you.