I actually did it for a while. I started my career in biotech and worked on an instrument. When I told them I was moving they wanted to keep me on and sent a couple of scanners to me.

I do realize that's a special case. They knew me for eight years prior, not nearly the same thing... but I thought I'd ask. There may be a fair amount of work that can be done via simulation, or applications level stuff, but yeah, a long shot.