Working for Mutual of Omaha has become the most rewarding and validating experience in my academic and professional career. But my path here wasn’t direct.
From a small-town upbringing to physics research in Switzerland and eventually a career in systems engineering, each step helped shape how I learn, solve problems and collaborate with others. Looking back, it’s clear that growth doesn’t always come from following a straight line.
What do I want to be when I grow up?
I grew up in Waterloo, Nebraska, a small town outside of Omaha. Small towns often mean small class sizes and limited exposure to what comes next. When you’re one of 20 in a small K-12 school, it’s easy to wonder whether your accomplishments will carry any weight beyond that environment. I was successful and stood out, but I was concerned about how that would translate to college where I’d be measured against thousands of others.
My strengths and interests have always been in mathematics and physics, so naturally, I pursued and achieved bachelor's degrees in both fields. I attended a liberal arts college, where there were relatively few mathematics and physics majors. So, yet again, I struggled to see how my skills would translate into a career. On top of that, I had no idea what I wanted to be when I grew up. Like many students facing uncertainty, I put off my career decision by continuing my education in physics.
Building transferable skills through research
During graduate school, I was in a “What’s the meaning of life?” phase and joined the high-energy physics research team where I was lucky enough to collaborate with other researchers from around the world on an experiment at the Large Hadron Collider in Geneva, Switzerland. The experiment involved colliding clusters of protons near the speed of light to reproduce conditions that only occurred during the Big Bang.
There are millions of these collisions every second, which leads to an overwhelming amount of data. It was a massive data science problem. I taught myself programming languages (C and Python) and machine learning because my previous degrees only touched on these areas. I didn’t know it at the time, but these skills were quickly becoming the most sought after across major industries.
Around the same time, the TV show “The Big Bang Theory” was at its popularity peak and I was in the same field as Leonard, one of the lead characters. Extended family members who I saw a couple of times a year would seek me out at family gatherings and drill me about research they read on their Facebook feed or saw in a documentary. Those conversations taught me patience and how to meet people where they are.
Stepping outside my comfort zone
Graduate school also required serving as a teaching assistant, leading general physics labs and recitations. Standing in front of a room full of peers was intimidating, especially for someone who once opted out of giving a valedictorian speech due to a fear of public speaking.
The difference this time was passion. I love physics. I studied the lessons the students were learning so I could confidently answer any question that was thrown at me. And to be honest, I also had to get comfortable saying, “I don’t know right now. Let me get back to you.”
I had to get creative when explaining physics concepts to undergraduate pre-med students who just wanted to pass the course and move on. Through teaching, I developed the ability to make complex concepts relatable to diverse audiences.
Choosing a different path
As I neared the completion of my doctorate, the question of what came next became unavoidable. An academic path, particularly a university professorship, was appealing at first, but the reality was far more complex: a long, highly competitive journey with uncertain outcomes.
Stepping away from that path wasn’t easy. Parents and close relatives had reservations, and trusted colleagues offered conflicting perspectives, each rooted in experience and genuine concern. Still, there was confidence that this wasn’t an ending, but a transition.
Making the decision to leave the PhD program was one of the most difficult choices of my career, though in hindsight, it’s one I wish I had made sooner. It reinforced a lesson that continues to guide me: Stay true to what’s best for you, even when the path forward is unclear.
A supportive culture fuels growth and opportunity
The job search was intimidating. I had no idea what roles I was qualified for. I had some experience in data science and a basic technical background, but I felt more like a Swiss Army knife than a specialist.
I focused my resume on the transferable skills I gained from both the research and teaching sides of academics: being a self-driven learner, problem solver, mentor and communicator who could connect with people at all levels.
Mutual of Omaha’s strong reputation made it the first place I considered. A couple of family members and a close family friend had long careers here and consistently spoke highly of their experiences.
I applied for an entry-level business analyst role within IT. A business analyst acts as a bridge between IT and the business, clarifying business requirements, supporting IT delivery and ensuring solutions align with business goals. There were no requirements for mathematics or physics, which caused some hesitation and fear of adequacy.
While the position was less technical than my academic work, I was able to focus on adapting to the culture, learning enterprise systems and growing my business acumen.
My team and business partners were welcoming, professional and encouraging. I asked plenty of questions and felt comfortable doing so. Joining the company at an entry-level position offered a fresh perspective that made it easy to spot opportunities for improvement.
Conversations with engineers often sparked ideas for enhancing processes and workflows. Learning both the business and technical sides became essential to influencing and implementing meaningful solutions.
Along the way, strengths and interests in areas like systems engineering and data analytics began to surface. Open discussions with my manager led to a development plan that supported growth, whether that meant expanding responsibilities on my current team or pursuing roles elsewhere in the organization.
Two years later, I applied for a systems engineering position for a team that supports data analytics systems, combining both of my passions.
I love what I do, so remaining within the systems engineering job family has become a priority, and ongoing collaboration with my manager and peers continues to focus on building the leadership skills needed for advanced engineering roles. Developing these skills not only strengthens contributions to my current team, but also increases versatility and long‑term career opportunities.
Taking stock of an unorthodox journey
From a small‑town student unsure of how his skills would translate beyond the classroom to a researcher navigating the complexities of high‑energy physics to a professional discovering new strengths within a welcoming organization, the path has been anything but linear.
Each step — teaching, solving data‑driven problems, embracing uncertainty and evolving through new roles — built a foundation of resilience, curiosity and purpose. What began as a search for direction became a journey of clarity and confidence.
Today, that once‑uncertain young adult has become a family‑centered systems engineer who wakes up each day energized by the chance to learn, lead and tackle new challenges.
None of this happens without a workplace culture that truly supports its employees.
If you’re navigating an unconventional career path or wondering how your skills might translate, I can assure you that Mutual of Omaha is a place where curiosity, growth and development are encouraged.