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Ask Slashdot - Careers In Computer Science That Keep You Physically Active?
First time accepted submitter ozzyoli writes "I love computer science (IT not so much) but I despise the thought of being stuck behind a desk for the rest of my life. Are there any career paths that would suit a computer scientist who likes to be physically active and on his feet a lot?"
I keep my computer running 24 hours a day.
Work for Microsoft and advance up to CEO position. Then throwing chairs will be one of your more important job responsibilities.
Bicycle commuting to work can burn 400-700 kcal/day.
I have a colleague that refuses to schedule a meeting between 11a-noon and he runs a 10k and showers during that time.
After work hobbies can be useful too, you may even meet other people also.
You don't need to be "on your feet" at work ... just at some point during the day.
You want to stay on your feet? Use a standing desk. I've had one for the past year and a half and it is awesome.
I woke up this morning, did 80 press-ups and 80 situps (the first time I've done this in years and years) and later I will go for a 5k run. Don't change career, just make a little time for exercise. You may be surprised how energetic and awake you feel in the morning after some light exercise. Keep your body healthy and the mind will follow!
While positions like these are not common, there are several fields out there that require "field" engineers that I can think of:
Power - For seven years I fielded calls for the Power Industry where 60% of my time was spent on the road or in the air traveling to remote locales around the world to fix the problems the "Homer Simpsons" of the power industry had created. Without internet I used just my know-how of various hardware types, operating systems such as AIX, Solaris & Windows and troubleshooting experience to solve problems. It was fun to travel and a daily challenge to solve what ever issue it might be, but I ultimately gave it up to have a family and be closer to home. The only thing that really sucked however is the remaining 30% of time I had in an office was usually spent in front of a desk writing ANSI, ISO, NEMA and OSHA compliant documentation about my journey's.
Networking Specialist - These people design, install, maintain and troubleshoot computer networks for all whom will employ them to do such. Some companies specialize in contracting guys with CCIE's etc out to companies who do not want to pay to have one full time. They generally travel on short notice and are prone to 60% or greater travel time.
Deployment Specialist - These people are usually certified in some specific product within the company they work for and make a job out of traveling around to "deploy" said product. Everyone from A to Z in Software and OEM Hardware employs these people to do the dirty work of installing and troubleshooting a product on a customer's site after it has been sold. Expect lots of long hours and a lot of travel to go along with these kinds of jobs.
Sales Engineer - Otherwise known as Systems Integrators in some companies, these people help potential (pre-sales) customers understand, compare, and contrast the solutions that are available for buying from the company they are employed for. Companies such as NetApp, EMC, Dell, HP and others use SE's to accompany sales guys to meetings about a potential sale. These people are generally hardware techs who moved their way up in the ranks from within the company or moved from another company doing something similar. As such, it would be best to start as a deployment engineer or similar first if this sounds interesting.
Technical Trainer - Just about every Tech company employs these guys to travel and host various classes, lectures and seminars. It's not overly "brainy" work, but the job does travel... A LOT.
While I am sure there are more, this was an "off the hip" list that I could come up with. Perhaps others can add to it. Good luck in your ventures... It will not be easy and there is no avoiding at least some "office based desk work".
What about the military, or something connected with it? Plenty of IT and similar equipment in the modern armed forces, all of which needs setting up, maintaining, and decomissioning just like any it does everywhere else, and that will often entail getting the out into the field. Even if you are stuck behind a desk for much of the time, you'll still need to do some physical activity as part of the daily routine since the military wants all of their staff to be physically fit for obvious reasons. If the prospect of potentially having to go on the front line doesn't appeal, then there are plenty of similar roles with defence contractors providing specialist support to the military, often on (much) higher pay - especially if you are prepared to go into places that might get a little heated.
UNIX? They're not even circumcised! Savages!
I build scientific instruments, actually I write the software for them, but since I end up being the only one who knows how to use them (unless they RTFM), I often go on the field to install them. I worked for 15 years in atmospheric science and spent 3 years running around Antarctica setting up and running various instruments. Now I do cosmology and nuclear physics, but it's the same and I end up installing cosminc ray or neutrino detectors on some nice mountains.
But like others have already suggested, the best way to stay active is probably to bike to work. I have my own tricks for that...: live high, work low, ride dirt in the morning and, err, take the bus back home in the evening...
Non-Linux Penguins ?
I did this for several months a few years ago, until one day when I was sitting at my desk I heard what sounded like a muffled gunshot, and suddenly found myself sitting on the floor with a very sore arse. The great thing about chairs is that they don't burst.
I love computer science (IT not so much) but I despise the thought of being stuck behind a desk for the rest of my life.
Why would you have to be stuck behind a desk for the rest of your life? Can't you, like, I dunno, put a timer that makes you get up off your desk every 30 minutes, to stretch your hips or take a walk? Go to the gym during lunch (specially if there is one on or near your work premises)?
At my desk I keep a tennis ball, rubber bands and two CoC grippers #1 and #2 for grip training, and several resistance bands, including for a variety of exercises, which I do throughout my work day. I had a co-worker who kept a pair of dumbbells under his desk for lunges, standing up presses and stuff like that. Myself, every other day I drive to the gym in the middle of lunch, and when I don't have time to go to the gym, I simply walk up and down the stairs (6 floors in total), or take a 15 minute walk. There is nothing in a professional career (not just CS) that requires you to be stuck on a chair.
Life choices man, life choices. You are making this too complicated, a badly thought of solution looking for a non-existing problem.
Are there any career paths that would suit a computer scientist who likes to be physically active and on his feet a lot?"
Physical labor. You can be a computer scientist by education who chooses a physical labor career path instead.
If your concern is about physical activities while working as a computer scientist, all you have to do is plan your work day, and your work week so that it integrates physical activity of some kind (possibly in addition to an after-hours physically active lifestyle). This is not rocket science.
Now, if your concern is that being a computer scientist will deprive you from enjoying the outside world, dude, you are on the wrong career path. At the end of the day, being in career like computer science requires dedication to tackle problems that, many times, require undivided attention. When you do work, when you get paid to do work, that's what you do, and if that means that sometimes you'll be sitting on a desk, solving problems that you are getting paid to solve, then, that's what you do.
You inter-mix (sp?) physical activity during your work day, and after hours, but you do not expect your CS career to keep you physically active. You should expect yourself to do that, not your CS career. If you want your career to keep you physically active then you need to look at a different career.