Career Change Question - Electrical Engineer / Physicist

[sendthis]

Hi,

I'm sure similar questions like this get asked all the time, so I apologize. Mine might have a slightly different angle.

I have a B.S. and M.S. in Electrical Engineering and I am currently working on my Ph.D. in Applied Physics. I find I devote a lot of my free time reading aquaculture journals and books. I also enjoy fish as a hobby and I am starting to get into aquaponics. Yes, still "toy" stuff compared to the professionals.

I'm thinking after I get my PhD I might try to teach part-time at a local college and work on getting some aquaculture course work in.

I have experience in telecommunications testing, navigation and sensor research and more recently, program management (as happens with anybody in mid-career).

This is kind of a mid-term focus.

I am kind of curious are there alot of opportunities in aquaculture for someone that's changing fields? I mean, lots of my skills are applicable to aquaculture (i.e. electronics, software, and understanding of chemistry, thermodynamics, etc).

Are people accepted in the field and 'well' compensated? I don't expect to get what I get paid now, but I like the idea of waking up and doing what I enjoy more than money but I do have a family to care for.

What can I do to be a competitive candidate for non-entry level jobs? I don't mind starting near bottom but I would hope I don't compete with fresh college grads.

Or is this just not going to happen? I know in my fields, we pull people all the time from different industries because we need that breadth of knowledge and multidisciplinary approach. Aquaculture seems to have a need for that.

Thanks!