[gautamdivgi]

I was an industry person who wanted to transition to academia. I just decided against it obviously. I liked all the aspects you pointed out above. The one thing that is missed is that most places are publishing sweatshops where the pay and work conditions are horrible. The “boss” or the PI has unlimited control and can destroy your career.

The problems are also way out of the ordinary. I’d like to draw a parallel with medicine. Most researchers are doctors who interact and treat patients. In contrast - I think a lot of engineering post docs or phds may not be working on stuff the industry cares about.

[wolverine876]

> I just decided against it obviously.

Why is it obvious? There might be some groupthink on HN (and bias toward our career paths), but plenty of people go into academia.

> pay and work conditions are horrible

It's not like bosses and businesses in the private sector are Nirvana. You can see plenty of stories about them on HN.

[barry-cotter]

Private sector pay is much better and working conditions are also on average much better. You have professional management and HR functions and one manager can’t destroy your career. More importantly the exit options are better. The relative power imbalances lead to people being treated differently.

[wolverine876]

Those are advantages, there also are disadvantages. That doesn't explain why it's obvious (nor address the HN bias/groupthink).

[barry-cotter]

I was responding purely to your point about working conditions. Obviously if you come from money, have a partner who does, come from a country that’s substantially poorer than most of the first world or want to do science more than you want to have a non long distance relationship or make a professional class income doing a PhD/postdoc looks great.

[wolverine876]

For all the sarcasm, there is more to it and many people choose and and have chosen it. My point it, just because you see it that way doesn't make it "obvious"; it's just your point of view.

[travisporter]

Is the whole patent clerk discovering stuff in their free time still possible? I know people say do what you love etc but I’ve found something I kinda like as a day job but I’d rather be doing astronomy.

[sasaf5]

Particularly in the case of astronomy, citizen science is important. It probably won't give you an Annus Mirabilis, but might be satisfying.