[todd3834]

Software engineering is a career that still doesn’t have a workforce large enough to keep up with demand. I don’t see 34 as very old at all. There are several routes you can take and I believe they will depend on what you are interested in.

If you don’t have a requirement for a high salary I suggest taking a look at the YC companies that are hiring by clicking “jobs” at the top of this page. See what specific engineering skills are in demand and then start to play around with them. Find what seems the most interesting to you.

It wouldn’t be a bad idea to work for a company that hires software engineers in a field where microbiology would be a big time bonus.