Take this with a grain of salt, as I’m not a PhD, or even an engineer.I have a doctorate in a clinical science, optometry.
My take is that the latter statement can be true without the former statement being true. The PhD can allow you to call the shots, or to even have enough basic background to play in the space. My guess is that this is the case for position, navigation and timing. You might not be adding to the body of knowledge in the purest sense, but you won’t be designing the seat for yet another airliner. You’d be doing new, cutting edge, practical stuff, as opposed to science for the sake of science.
Count me in a a “go for it” vote.