The Strict deadlines
This sounds like a poor time management issue here.
overtime
This sounds like a personal issue.
the constant fear of being given a task where you don't know what the hell you are doing.
You've lost me. Isn't it your job to solve problems. That's why you're there. That is your job. If you don't enjoy solving problems then you shouldn't be in Software Engineering.
The uncertainty of everyday and going to work not knowing how the hell you are going to solve something.
Man, for me this is exhilarating, and the reason why I go to work every day. I love solving problems.
I've only been a full time developer for 2 years,
So you've been in the field as long as I have. I'll tell you what: I've never once spent extra time at work. I work a firm 8-4 or 9-5 schedule. I manage to pace myself and get my work done because that's my work ethic. My job is to get my work done and solve the problems I'm tasked with.
Software development is just too unpredictable. I want to be able to go to work, put in my 40 hours and go home.
And you can do that. If you think working on a problem for more that extra couple of hours a day will solve it any faster you're wrong. People need to learn to pace themselves, learn when you're working on a problem that you have to claim defeat for the day sometimes, ect. Sometimes you need to call it quits and give your mind some rest. Solving problems can be taxing.
The company that I work for right now, while we are technically a team, everyone is responsible for their own thing.
??? This is how a lot of Software teams are setup.
You have some people working 12 hours days because deadlines are strict, and stuff always gets added on at the end of a sprint, with the deadline not being pushed back. You are expected to finish it, and if you have to stay in the office till 10pm to do so, too bad.
Then either your not pacing yourself (and adding room at the end of a sprint for these cases) or your project management is fucked (not always your fault). If the later is the case, get the fuck out of there.
We have no QA team or automated tests, so we have to manually test everything.
Once again ,this isn't out of the ordinary.
Thing is, out of the 3 companies that I have been in so far, this seems to be par for the course everywhere I have been.
Because none of this is out of the ordinary. You need to set your own standards and stop going with the status quo.
EDIT: I would hope to find a company where I would be doing internal software. Where there really isn't any deadlines because there are no "clients". More of a release when you feel it is ready approach.
So you want a perfect company that doesn't exist then? No clients means no money, which means no project. (In a very simple, top level approach)