I did this almost by accident. I found myself following all the latest lightning protocol developments and in awe of this incredible new network. When a job opening was published, I jumped on it - mostly just to ask the devs some questions. Next thing I know I've got a job offer, so of course I took it.

It's been over a year now, and has been a highly rewarding experience. The transition wasn't easy, but I wouldn't call it rocky either. Working in open source development is a humbling experience with no room for ego. Likewise for working with some of the brightest minds I've encountered.

One interesting bit is how the developers in this space almost have their own lingua Franca so to speak in the form of cryptographic tricks and tools that aren't heavily utilized in broader industry (but it's taken for granted that engineers in this space are familiar with them for the most part.) They're all useful and fun to learn, but it can seem like a deluge of information at times, so be prepared. I had to do a lot of background reading of the bitcoin and lightning dev mailing lists just to get up-to-speed enough to follow the discussion. (bitcoinsearch.xyz makes this easier now!)

Life is short - if you find a job you're interested in that can help move along a project (bitcoin) you're passionate about, go for it. In my case it's been as challenging as it has been rewarding. I can't think of anything more meaningful I could be doing with my time.