Recruit

The University of California, Berkeley (UC Berkeley), the world's premier public university, seeks a visionary, strategic, and collaborative leader to serve as the next dean of its College of Engineering (Berkeley Engineering). Applications, nominations, and expressions of interest are invited.

UC Berkeley is internationally renowned for excellence across all disciplines, for the opportunities it affords students of all backgrounds, and for scientific discovery, innovation, and cultural creativity. Home to more than 33,000 undergraduates, and 12,800 graduate students, and roughly 1,600 Senate faculty, UC Berkeley is consistently ranked among the best universities nationally and globally. Berkeley’s professors are highly distinguished researchers, scholars, and leading experts in their field as attested by their many Nobel Prizes, other distinguished awards, and memberships in the most prestigious learned societies.

UC Berkeley's College of Engineering, the second largest college at Berkeley, with 4,200 undergraduates, 2,500 graduate students, 400 staff and 250 faculty, is a community of visionaries, technology leaders, and industry pioneers. Berkeley Engineering is consistently ranked among the top three engineering programs – and the No. 1 public program – in the nation. Its individual disciplines also maintain top rankings. Among Berkeley Engineering's active and emeriti faculty members, 71 are members of the esteemed National Academy of Engineering. In addition, 25 faculty are recipients of the campus’s Distinguished Teaching Award and more than 100 hold endowed chairs and distinguished professorships. The college's 73,000+ alumni comprise one of the most innovative, talented, and networked communities in the world.

Within UC Berkeley's shared governance structure, the dean serves as the Chief Academic Officer and Executive of the college reporting to the Executive Vice Chancellor and Provost. The dean provides leadership and is responsible for all matters relating to the administration of the college including academic programs, personnel, budgets, alumni engagement, fundraising, and industry relations. The dean works in close collaboration with the dean of the College of Computing, Data Science, and Society (CDSS), in mutual support of the Department of Electrical Engineering and Computer Science, which is shared between both colleges, as well as with the other deans across campus on many joint programs.

The next dean will provide visionary leadership to maintain and advance Berkeley Engineering's preeminence by charting a forward-looking path for the college. The next dean will support the college’s multidisciplinary initiatives, which are solving the grand challenges of today and the future. They will collaborate across campus and foster an inclusive culture and community. The dean will prioritize enhancing external partnerships and increasing philanthropic support to invest in the college's continued excellence.

UC Berkeley seeks in its next dean of Berkeley Engineering a leader with vision, a consultative and collaborative leadership style, strategic and operational leadership, and the energy and integrity to inspire others to new levels of excellence. The dean will be a deliberative, enterprising, and inclusive leader, who is deeply committed to building trust and who can work effectively with campus leadership, colleagues, faculty, students, staff, alumni, and external partners to advance the college.

Candidates should have a proven record of effective academic leadership in a complex, research-intensive environment, the ability to build and cultivate consensus while also making tough decisions, and a track record of fostering and supporting a climate of community, inclusive excellence, and mutual respect. The successful candidate will bring a deep commitment to Berkeley's public mission, the ability to lead effectively within a strong culture of shared governance, the genuine willingness to listen to, engage, and collaborate with multiple stakeholders and an enthusiasm for external engagement. Candidates must have a distinguished record of excellence in teaching, research, and/or significant professional activity appropriate for a tenured faculty appointment at the level of full professor at UC Berkeley.

For the full position profile, please visit: https://wittkieffer.com/positions/200927

To be considered as candidates, applicants must have an earned doctoral degree or equivalent international degree by the time of application and submit, as separate documents, a CV or resume and a letter of interest addressing the themes in this profile.

WittKieffer is assisting UC Berkeley in this search. For fullest consideration, candidate materials should be received by Monday, August 25, 2025.

Application materials should be sent to WittKieffer via email to: UCBerkeleyEngineering@wittkieffer.com and applicants must also apply directly to UC Berkeley at https://aprecruit.berkeley.edu/JPF04824.

Nominations and inquiries can be directed to Suzanne Teer, Jessica Herrington, and Cathryn Davis at UCBerkeleyEngineering@wittkieffer.com.

UC Berkeley offers excellent benefits, including medical, dental, vision and retirement plans as well as moving, relocation, and housing assistance.

This is a sensitive position and is subject to a criminal background check.

The University of California is committed to creating and maintaining a community dedicated to the advancement, application, and transmission of knowledge and creative endeavors through academic excellence, where all individuals who participate in University programs and activities can work and learn together in a safe and secure environment, free of violence, harassment, discrimination, exploitation, or intimidation. Consistent with this commitment, and with California State law, finalists for this position will be required to complete an Employment Misconduct Disclosure Questionnaire form indicating if they have been subject to any final administrative or judicial decisions within the last seven years determining that they committed any misconduct, and provide information related to investigations and appeals. Finalists will also be required to complete and sign an Authorization of Information Release form that authorizes current and/or previous employers to release information regarding past substantiated allegations of misconduct. Finalists will only be subject to institutional reference checks if and when they are selected as the candidate to whom the University would like to extend a formal offer. More information is available on this website.

UC Berkeley is committed to diversity, equity, inclusion, and belonging in our public mission of research, teaching, and service, consistent with UC Regents Policy 4400 and University of California Academic Personnel policy (APM 210 1-d). These values are embedded in our Principles of Community, which reflect our passion for critical inquiry, debate, discovery and innovation, and our deep commitment to contributing to a better world. Every member of the UC Berkeley community has a role in sustaining a safe, caring and humane environment in which these values can thrive.

The University of California, Berkeley is an Equal Opportunity employer. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, disability, age, or protected veteran status.

For more information, please refer to the University of California’s Affirmative Action and Nondiscrimination in Employment Policy and the University of California’s Anti-Discrimination Policy.

In searches when letters of reference are required all letters will be treated as confidential per University of California policy and California state law. Please refer potential referees, including when letters are provided via a third party (i.e., dossier service or career center), to the UC Berkeley statement of confidentiality prior to submitting their letter.

As a University employee, you will be required to comply with all applicable University policies and/or collective bargaining agreements, as may be amended from time to time. Federal, state, or local government directives may impose additional requirements.

The University of California is committed to creating and maintaining a community dedicated to the advancement, application, and transmission of knowledge and creative endeavors through academic excellence, where all individuals who participate in University programs and activities can work and learn together in a safe and secure environment, free of violence, harassment, or discrimination. Consistent with this commitment, UC Berkeley requires all applicants for Senate faculty positions to complete, sign, and upload an Authorization of Information Release form into AP Recruit as part of their application. If an applicant does not include the signed authorization, the application will be considered incomplete, and as with any incomplete application, will not receive further consideration. Although all applicants for faculty recruitments must complete the entire application, applicants will only be subject to institutional reference checks if and when they are selected as the candidate to whom the hiring unit would like to extend a formal offer. More information is available on this website.

As a condition of employment, the finalist will be required to disclose if they are subject to any final administrative or judicial decisions within the last seven years determining that they committed any misconduct.

• “Misconduct” means any violation of the policies or laws governing conduct at the applicant’s previous place of employment, including, but not limited to, violations of policies or laws prohibiting sexual harassment, sexual assault, or other forms of harassment or discrimination, as defined by the employer.
• UC Sexual Violence and Sexual Harassment Policy
• UC Anti-Discrimination Policy
• APM - 035: Affirmative Action and Nondiscrimination in Employment