The last of your questions is really good. A lot of research labs do hire developers as staff on various projects. Those roles tend to be a little lower paid than industry, but you get to work on interesting things.

Sometimes academic employers will support you in a relevant degree while you study. Depending on the country and university, this might be fee free, you might be released for a day a week or something to work on it, and you might enter the program differently to regular applicants (i.e. you get put on the program rather than needing to 'deserve' it).

If you want to do this, apply for jobs you'd want to take anyway at labs you'd want to study at, and ask this question at the same time as you'd normally negotiate compensation.

Don't forget to look at gov labs as well as universities, and also to look at other countries if you like because universities sometimes get a bit of a free pass in terms of staff immigration.

Thanks!

My random advice from the internet:

1. Identify academics doing research in interesting areas.

2. Contact them about your interest and goals.

3. See what happens.

Good luck.

Yah, planning to do them as well. Thanks.