[joe_mamba]

I'd also want to get paid to work on stuff not meant to bring any financial returns to my employer, just to learn and pad my resume. Sounds like a sweet gig. Where do I sign up?

[lmf4lol]

become a scientist? apply for research grants. Join an NGO.

Lots of options

Not everything has to return money.

[joe_mamba]

>become a scientist? apply for research grants. Join an NGO.

You mentioned only 2(grants are also academia) and most NGOs don't hire SW devs. That's hardly "lots", basically none out of academia.

>Not everything has to return money.

But then where does that money they give you come from?