Bollocks to a FAA lic
There are way to many of them on the market and there are mostly with wanky American degree's which afterwards they have the same as a UK school education but don't even touch what you learn with a JAR ATPL exam pass.
Do your hour building etc in warmer climates but get a JAR license.
Its piss easy converting toa FAA CPL/IR if need be the flight test and orals are a joke after passing the UK exams. Have to learn how to do chandels and partial panel approaches which ain't a problem. There RT is pants and you will know more about NDB approaches than the examiner.
Working as a process engineer i presume you have a Engineering degree from a UK Uni. Huge bounus on your CV for getting the interview, but not alot after that. As for age not a problem i am 32 years old and started flying at 29 and landed my first job.
MJ
PS you can get the whole lot done in the uK including FI rating for 35K if your a tight jock like me. I found living in FL to be hell on earth and had to stop myself from telling immigration that there was no way on this earth i would ever think about staying more than my temp visa would let me.