Earlier this month I announced that I left my job at Univar Inc. I enjoyed the work, the people, and the flexibility, but the job required me to be in Seattle. As a result, I had to leave my coach any time I wanted a paycheck. This was not conducive to throwing far. With a lot on the line this year, I decided to leave the job and spend more time with my coach.

There are three things I look for in a job: (1) flexibility; (2) a valuable experience; and (3) the amount of time I’ll be able to spend with my coach. My job at Univar had two of those three elements. Today, I accepted a position that will give me all three elements. When I arrive in Europe for the summer in mid-May, I will be working at UBS in Zurich.

This job will be a great experience for me. My specialty is in tax law and I’ve gained a lot of experience in international tax law. For those of you that follow business news, UBS has been involved in legal proceedings with the IRS for the past two years. The IRS has been attempting to force the bank to turn over the names of Americans that hold accounts at the bank. As a result, UBS is pulling back in the American market. My job will be working with a team of attorneys, accountants, economists, and other professionals to help resolve the tax and legal issues that arise from this move.

The job will also be very flexible. I will be working 60% during my stay, which will give me plenty of time to train and travel to competitions. My boss is a former competitive runner and understands my training needs. In addition, UBS has a history of proudly supporting athletics in Switzerland.

Finally, while the job is in Zurich, it won’t require me to spend any additional time away from my coach. Last summer I spent ten weeks in Europe during the competitive season. My obligations to both the Swiss National Team and my club require me to be in Europe for several competitions throughout the summer. Since the American season ends in June, I stay in Switzerland to compete in other elite competitions. My job in Zurich will be during my stay this year, meaning that I will be working during time I would already have been away from my coach. I hope it all works out as well as planned. Now I just need to find a place to stay and determine which club I will compete for this year. I normally stay in Bern and compete for the club there, but since I will be in Zurich I will need to find a new place to stay and may switch to a local club if it makes training easier. As always, I’ll keep you all updated.