A typical day consists of work in the laboratory or data analysis. Generally, I work alone in the lab, but collaborate with others on the interpretation of data and on the general course of the experiments. I do some computer simulation, as well. The work is satisfying. Writing proposals and reports is always a nuisance, but most of my time is devoted to scientific work.
Funding is adequate to purchase equipment and to conduct the work.
Job security may have been better there, but one was always subject to unknown external forces, such as mergers and reorganizations. In a small company, employees are usually better informed. My colleagues all have physics or electrical engineering backgrounds. Research in academia is not as different from research in other settings. When I was a student, there was mostly information about the academic path.