[aplsoftwaredev]

I work as a software engineer at the JHU applied physics lab and absolutely love my job.

* Pay is very comfortable to live on in the area

* The large majority of my teammates are self motivated and driven which keeps me motivated and on my toes

* I get to constantly experiment with new tech, work on prototypes, and pursue work I'm interested in.

* Almost all of my work is software development but it's rarely pure software work. I'm almost always working with other SMEs and helping them develop their ideas into code

If you're a curious, hard working person it (and I imagine other UARCs) are great places to be

[goldtownjac]

I know a lot of people who work at APL (but not SWE), love it, and have no plans to leave. Definitely seems like a great option for someone in OP's situation.

[infinite8s]

And Baltimore still has a low cost of living for an East Coast city but isn't so isolated, as say national labs like LANL and Sandia.