Let me put this a slightly different way: Many professions are paid to do research, some engineers included, but I think lawyers are the only ones who are paid to do so by the consumer.

I would analogize it to individual cancer patient going to a research scientist at Bristol-Myers Squibb and saying "Hey, what would happen if you tweaked XYZ molecule? Would that cure me?"

The engineers that are paid directly by the consumer, I would think, are much closer to data crunchers than true researchers. Maybe some architects or other types with engineering experience could jump in and disagree?