Workforce development for research software engineers*

Research software engineers (RSEs) encompass researchers who spend a lot of their time coding, software engineers who focus on research software, and everyone in between. While the term was only coined in the prior decade, RSEs have played vital roles in plasma and fusion energy sciences for decades. Despite the importance of RSEs, there are limited pathways for becoming an RSE in our field and often an unclear career path. This presentation will cover the need for workforce development for RSEs in our community, and describe efforts in our field and others to cultivate and support an RSE workforce.