Conversation

@tmalsburg YES.
I have an almost unique job dedicated to developing assessment software in a university, with no publishing or teaching requirement, but almost all other research-level software is the responsibility of precariously employed people, on contracts that lead nowhere. Universities really need to work out how to employ and reward these people properly.
The "research software engineer" job title framework seems to be fairly successful at this.

I think that the will is there from managers, but they often can't employ people on good terms because HR doesn't recognise the role.