You don't need a CS degree to develop software. I have one but plenty of my coworkers do not. If you want to see if the work suits you without jumping right into the deep end or going back to school, see if there are any Software Craftsmanship apprentice programs in your area. You'll get more exposure to test-driven development and other ideas than most jobs however it may have a consultant slant to it as that is what a lot of SC places are doing.
Yeah I know, but I'd like some a more in-depth understanding of certain topics, in particular neural networks. I think it's a field where my particular expertise (mechanistic chemistry and biophysics) can bring in translateable insights.
