[weirdbeardmt]

I took a starting position as "just" a software developer. (In fact I also took a job as bar tender too, cleaning toilets etc....) I learnt what it was like to operate in a business, gradually moved up, moved jobs, and after paying my dues eventually broke out and started my own thing.

Remember that the specifics of your PhD are probably mostly irrelevant to most commercial organisations; other than the larger ones who maybe have dedicated R&D functions... but you ruled them out.

One thing to keep in mind is that you will face pressure and stress wherever you go - it will just be of different type. Non-academic jobs come with a whole bunch of extra responsibilities which you will also likely feel are beneath you.

I occasionally long for the relative simplicity of academia and the ability to work on genuinely interesting / novel things.