Dean, College of Engineering

The University of South Florida (USF)—a member of the Association of American Universities (AAU) and one of Florida’s essential research, innovation, and impact engines—seeks an inspiring and transformational scholar-leader to serve as Dean of the College of Engineering. The Dean will affirm and advance USF’s mission to generate knowledge, foster intellectual development, and ensure faculty and student success in a global environment, leveraging the College’s unique strengths and institutional connectivity to meet the University’s ambitions. This is an exciting opportunity for a tested and visionary leader to advance one of the nation’s most dynamic and innovative engineering enterprises. 

For 50 years, the College of Engineering at USF has pursued and elevated excellence. The College has been a beacon of education in Florida, opening doors of opportunity and revealing infinite possibilities for a better world. The College is young in spirit, and its nearly 6,700 students possess optimism, confidence, and an innate drive to aim higher than others think possible. USF Engineering’s 200 faculty work at the leading edge of fundamental and applied inquiry into some of the most exciting and pressing domains today, with robust linkages to USF Health and external partners in industry and the Department of Defense. The Dean will expand both the College's physical footprint and the reach of its research endeavors, showcasing the excellent work of faculty, staff, and students in advancing impactful science and engineering. 

Named an AAU Institution in 2023, USF's annual research expenditures have recently exceeded a half-billion dollars. The College of Engineering has played a vital role in contributing to the university’s research enterprise in terms of its total expenditures and in forming connective tissue across campus to meet the scholarly ambitions of USF’s faculty. The College of Engineering has benefited from stable leadership and steady growth, including a 31% increase in research expenditures to $48.3M over the last five years, 10% growth in graduate student enrollment, and 4% growth in undergraduate student enrollment. The College of Engineering and the Morsani College of Medicine share a novel Department of Medical Engineering that seamlessly bridges the research and innovation focus between the two units. The College of Engineering is aligned with the unique, 501c3 Institute of Applied Engineering, which has been awarded over $100 million in DoD contracts and establishes a deep connection between USF and nearby MacDill Air Force Base, home to U.S. Special Operations Command.

The next Dean will have the opportunity to join an institution on a powerful upward trajectory, building upon a tradition of excellence and expanding its impact. Leveraging the academic strength of the college and collaborating closely with faculty, staff, and students, the Dean will develop a new strategic vision for the next chapter of engineering at USF. Growing and diversifying the funding base of the College, championing new areas of scholarly and research interest, and nurturing the growth of the faculty will be critical goals for the Dean. The Dean will champion the work of the College of Engineering, articulating its contributions across the University in addition to local, state, national, and international communities. The Dean will be an outspoken and compelling advocate for the power of engineering research and scholarship to address and solve some of humanity’s most pressing challenges at home and abroad.

Confidential inquiries, nominations, and expressions of interest may be sent electronically below. 

Vijay Saraswat is leading this search with Afi Tettey-Fio and Elizabeth Arvanitis.

The State of Florida has a Public Meetings Law and a Public Records Law. All meetings of the Search Committee are publicly announced and conducted. All documents submitted to the Committee are public records. Limited exceptions exist. Please feel free to reach out to Isaacson, Miller with any questions before submitting a formal application.

As an Equal Opportunity/Affirmative Action Employer, the University of South Florida considers all qualified applicants for employment without regard to race, color, religion, sex, pregnancy or marital status, national origin, age, disability, genetic information, sexual orientation, gender identity, veteran status, or any other category protected by or identified by the University as a protected class.