Research software engineering as a model for inclusive and sustainable careers in astronomy

From the collection of proposals, telescope and instrument control, driving archives, and simulating and processing data, research software and data engineering underpins almost every process in the advancement of astronomy. And yet this has at times been an afterthought, receiving little attention or funding. Some institutes have always valued software engineering, and the community is slowly coming to realise that the discipline must be supported so that the best science can be carried out. We will discuss software engineering careers within astronomy, and the problems we must tackle if we wish to continue to attract excellent minds to our field from a diverse range of backgrounds. Not just attract but retain them, in an era where flexible working conditions are no longer a perk of academia, and salary disparity between our institutions and industry is larger than ever. We describe the AAO’s Research Data & Software section’s work to provide a stable career path for its engineers, and to attract a portfolio of work which both satisfies the requirements of the instrumentation and data projects, and the needs of our team to have a challenging, creative, and fulfilling work life.