Dean, College of Engineering
Job No:
Work Type: Management (MPP)
Location: Central California: San Luis Obispo
Categories: Bargaining Unit: MPP, Job Search Category/Discipline: Administrative, Appointment Type: At-Will, Time Basis: Full Time, Workplace Type (Exclude Inst Fac): On-site (work in-person at business location)
The College of Engineering (CENG) is a national leader in engineering education with its Learn by Doing, hands‑on approach and focus on undergraduate and master’s degree education. The College includes approximately 6,200 undergraduate students and 300 graduate students enrolled in 14 bachelor’s and 11 master’s degree programs, most of which are ABET accredited. With an emphasis on applied learning and problem‑solving, CENG’s graduates are heavily recruited by leading companies such as Apple, Boeing, Cisco, Google, Tesla Motors and state and federal agencies.
CENG offers highly‑ranked programs, including Aerospace Engineering, Biomedical Engineering, Civil & Environmental Engineering, Computer Engineering, Computer Science & Software Engineering, Electrical Engineering, General Engineering, Industrial & Manufacturing Engineering, Materials Engineering, Mechanical Engineering, and additional graduate programs in Engineering Management, Fire Protection Engineering, and Regenerative Medicine. The College recently unveiled the Noyce School of Applied Computing, an interdisciplinary school combining Electrical Engineering, Computer Science & Software Engineering, and Computer Engineering.
In November 2024, the California State University Board of Trustees voted to integrate Cal Poly and the California State University Maritime Academy, effective July 1, 2025. This integration reinforces our commitment to learning outcomes, increased enrollment, and a semester calendar system set for the 2026‑2027 academic year.
Role of the Dean
The Dean reports directly to the Provost and Executive Vice President for Academic Affairs and serves as the lead academic and administrative officer for the College. The Dean’s responsibilities include:
- Devising and executing strategic planning and visioning for the College, fostering an organizational culture that supports recruitment, retention, and professional development of faculty, staff, and students.
- Reaffirming Cal Poly’s teacher‑scholar model and supporting faculty integration of teaching, scholarship, professional engagement, and service commitments.
- Managing the vision and direction of high‑quality academic programs and overseeing fiscal, human, and physical resources and facilities of CENG.
- Acting as the main spokesperson for the College, building deeper connections internally with university leaders and alumni, and externally with industry and government officials.
- Leading an administrative team that includes three directors, three associate deans, an assistant dean, nine department heads, and approximately 187 tenure‑track faculty, 216 lecturers, and 46 staff.
- Managing a complex budget of $56 million and extensive engineering facilities.
Key Opportunities and Challenges
The new Dean will join a highly reputable College with a solid and successful foundation, dedicated faculty, staff, and students. In this role, the Dean will:
- Provide strategic visioning and planning to elevate the College’s excellence, prominence, and national reputation.
- Build and deepen partnerships that support and enhance the success of the College and its students.
- Thoughtfully manage CENG’s complex infrastructure while creatively augmenting resources through fundraising.
- Support a high‑performing College of dedicated and ambitious faculty and staff.
- Serve as a strategic university partner at Cal Poly and in the CSU system to support university‑wide goals and initiatives.
Additionally, the Dean will play a key role in the upcoming transition to a semester system and year‑round operations, assist with the integration of Cal Maritime, support university‑wide fundraising goals, and help represent California’s population in student enrollment.
Qualifications and Characteristics
The ideal candidate will have a distinguished record of achievement in at least one of the engineering disciplines represented in the College of Engineering and credentials appropriate for a tenured appointment at the rank of full professor, including a terminal degree. The Dean should also possess:
- Eagerness to engage with industry leaders to build meaningful partnerships.
- Demonstrated commitment to student success and applied research.
- Ability to work collaboratively and effectively across Cal Poly.
Compensation and Location
Salary range: $300,000 – $350,000 plus supplemental compensation.
Location: San Luis Obispo, California.
Application Process
To learn more about the role, please review the attached position profile. Screening of complete applications will begin immediately and continue until the completion of the search process. Inquiries, nominations, and referrals should be sent via the Isaacson, Miller website.
To apply, visit .
Equal Opportunity Statement
This position is open and available to all regardless of race, sex, color, ethnicity, or national origin. Cal Poly complies with Title VI of the Civil Rights Act of 1964, Title IX of the Education Amendments of 1972, the Americans with Disabilities Act, Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act, the California Equity in Higher Education Act, California’s Proposition 209, and CSU’s Nondiscrimination Policy. We prohibit discriminatory preferential treatment, segregation based on race or any other protected status, and all forms of discrimination, harassment, and retaliation in all university programs, policies, and practices.
Supplemental Information
Satisfactory completion of a background check, including a criminal records check, is required for employment. The person in this position is a mandated reporter under the California Child Abuse and Neglect Reporting Act and must comply with the requirements of CSU Executive Order 1083. Cal Poly is not a sponsoring agency for staff or management positions; applicants must be authorized to work in the U.S. without a visa sponsor. This position may be designated under California State University’s Conflict of Interest Code, requiring annual statements of economic interest and required training.
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