Ask HN: Has anyone gone from software to physical engineering?

Also historically it was possible to get an engineering job without an engineering degree or similar, but that really isn't the case anymore.

So you may be SOL unless you want to go back to school for four years. That said, there are plenty of similar positions that don't need degrees, such as mechanical/electrical/civil designer or technician, but you more than likely need a certificate of some sort.

Don't give up!

Edit: Another commentor brought up industrial automation engineering, which doesn't necessarily need a degree. I've known many industrial automation engineers who were self taught. The pay is great and you can basically do it anywhere. PLC's are one of the most common and important things that most people have no idea even exist.

I think what it boils down to is that ME is quantified and constrained. If you have drawings for everything else, then you make a new drawing based on those old drawings. We use CAD to determine if something will fit or work; a plastic piece of junk shaped like the part won't tell us anything we didn't know. Likewise, to test the part we need to build it out of the final material, whereas 3d printing for the most part doesn't produce anything strong enough. It's still mostly a Makerspace toy used for plastic widgets.

ME is much less artistic/creative than people think. What I find that most people have in mind with "hands-on building" is more akin to craftsman, carpenter, welder, or mechanic, rather than any engineer. Mechanics is a branch of physics. You apply that to parts to build a machine that works. Everything is calculated, from bolt spacing to sheet metal thickness, balancing tradeoffs like weight/cost/strength and so on. Then you write a 50 page report with tables, graphs, all of your analysis. It should be airtight, or people could die.

I'm a physical scientist, was working in a HW role, and moved to an R&D group where I make extensive use of my programming skills. So I've gone the opposite way. While I do a lot of work in the lab and the factory, if I got hit by a bus, my replacement would need to be a good programmer. I think I'm compensated accordingly.

What I've observed is that anybody who's good enough at programming to do it for money, will eventually be doing so. An option might be for you to up your programming game by getting some more formal training, which your employer might even pay for. This would give you more options in the SW business.

You can expose yourself to the hardware world through a hobby, but it can't turn you into an engineer. Also, the "hard" engineering disciplines require you to get through the full math sequence. Since you're out of school, you'll probably want to brush up on your high school math. Taking the SAT or ACT would be a good way to find out where you stand.

I think key to being a dev long term is keeping the curiosity going. Do it in whatever way you want. I must admit, its a pretty cushy way to live a life (WFH senior+ dev). I feel like an artist without the money troubles.