Science needs more research software engineers
1–10 of 366 posts
Re: Science needs more research software engineers
#2Well, then science needs to do more to create an environment where software engineers would want to be an RSE.
From my experience "science" does not appreciate RSEs, the compensation is bad, the freedom is bad, and you get all of the big company bureaucracy from the University.
It's just a bad environment and to top it off, even if you have a PhD many will see you as "less than."
Re: Science needs more research software engineers
#3Well, then science needs to do more to create an environment where software engineers would want to be an RSE. From my experience "science" does not appreciate RSEs, the compensation is bad, the freedom is bad, and you get all of the big company bureaucracy from the University. It's just a bad environment and to top it off, even if you have a PhD many will see you as "less than."
Apart from compensation and freedom you also get micro managed by someone who might know about the science part, but is really bad on the software architecture and engineering part.
Re: Science needs more research software engineers
#4Well, then science needs to do more to create an environment where software engineers would want to be an RSE. From my experience "science" does not appreciate RSEs, the compensation is bad, the freedom is bad, and you get all of the big company bureaucracy from the University. It's just a bad environment and to top it off, even if you have a PhD many will see you as "less than."
The last point is important. In my experience it's mostly about status. RSEs are always seen as inferior to researchers (research scientists) who supposedly come up with the "big ideas" while RSEs merely implement the stuff they're told to do.
In reality the line is much blurrier. There can be no innovation and iteration without implementation of ideas and the RSE work is just as important.
But unless this view changes, nobody wants to be an RSE.
Re: Science needs more research software engineers
#5Would love to work at a University as a Research Engineer. Would not love to do it for less than I made as an undergrad out of college. Universities can avoid not paying market, but they pay more like 40-50% of market.
Re: Science needs more research software engineers
#6In main FAANG labs this is already a constant Brain, Facebook Research, MSR and AWS. Researchers work with SWEs to deploy models and hire hybrids.
Re: Science needs more research software engineers
#7If you need them then pay them.
Re: Science needs more research software engineers
#8Well, then science needs to do more to create an environment where software engineers would want to be an RSE. From my experience "science" does not appreciate RSEs, the compensation is bad, the freedom is bad, and you get all of the big company bureaucracy from the University. It's just a bad environment and to top it off, even if you have a PhD many will see you as "less than."
your premise is that it's not being sold right but maybe you just need more people to give their perspective. I might be considered a research software engineer in the US. In my job, I get paid (well) to develop open source software for data visualization, and I work remotely. I get to maintain existing tools and develop new ones. there is an interesting global community that asks questions daily, and I am constantly learning. I'm not working under the thumb of overbearing people, just delivering results and contributing to new grant goals to continue the funding. these positions are not necessarily common, but are interesting and cool.
Re: Science needs more research software engineers
#9It's already been said several times over but I'm going to throw it out anyway. I'd love to work at a university as a research software engineer. I find things like bioinformatics fascinating and even interviewed at a research university on the east coast. But, you will get paid SIGNIFICANTLY less than you would doing almost anything else, have zero autonomy, and get no respect. Those 3 things are basically what most people look for in a job.
Re: Science needs more research software engineers
#10Pay money.