Open Searches

The University of Texas at Dallas (UT Dallas) — one of the nation’s most rapidly ascending research institutions — seeks a visionary, ambitious, and trailblazing Dean of the Erik Jonsson School of Engineering & Computer Science. This is a critical moment in the history of the Jonsson School for an innovative and driven academic leader to harness the deep well of talent at UT Dallas, rapid growth of its programs, and the incredible resources and partnerships in the Dallas-Fort Worth Metroplex to spur a nationally ranked powerhouse engineering school to greater heights.

UT Dallas is one of the top comprehensive public research universities in Texas and the nation. Designated as a Carnegie R1 institution for “very high research activity,” UT Dallas offers a diverse selection of 160 academic programs across seven schools. Known for its strong emphasis on STEM disciplines intertwined with arts and humanities, UT Dallas is also home to a highly ranked business school.

UT Dallas is poised to embark on an exciting new chapter of accelerated growth, allowing it to deepen its roots within the community and redefine the very essence of a 21^st-century public research university. Driven by President Moghe’s inspiring and forward-thinking vision to leverage groundbreaking research, impactful partnerships, and world-class education, UT Dallas aims to transform lives and fuel the economy of the Dallas-Fort Worth Metroplex. Reporting to Dr. Marc P. Christensen, the recently appointed Provost and Executive Vice President for Academic Affairs (EVPAA), the next Dean of the Jonsson School of Engineering & Computer Science will serve as a champion for student achievement, faculty excellence, and institutional innovation.

The Erik Jonsson School of Engineering & Computer Science is one of the fastest growing and most vigorous engineering and computer science schools in the United States. Since 2008, the Jonsson School has doubled in size with the creation of four new departments and nine new degree programs, most recently new bachelor’s degrees in systems engineering (2025) and materials science and engineering (2026), while maintaining an undergraduate student body whose average SAT scores are among the highest of any public university in Texas. Strategically located near the Dallas area’s Telecom Corridor, home to hundreds of high-tech companies, Jonsson School areas of expansion include programs in biomedical engineering, mechanical engineering, materials science, analog electronics, cybersecurity, systems engineering, robotics, and control systems.

The Jonsson School is composed of six departments: Bioengineering, Computer Science, Electrical and Computer Engineering, Materials Science and Engineering, Mechanical Engineering, and Systems Engineering.

The ideal candidate will fully embody UT Dallas’s vibrant spirit of innovation: a place where technology, science, business and the arts intersect, where creativity flourishes, and where collaboration sparks transformative discoveries. This is an unparalleled opportunity to make a lasting impact and help propel the Jonsson School to even greater heights.

The Dean will lead a school of more than 8,900 students, one of UT Dallas’s flagship academic units by enrollment, research expenditure, and philanthropic potential. The Dean will set academic and research priorities across the school’s five thematic research thrusts (advanced manufacturing, energy science and technology, health innovations, semiconductor science and technology, and transportation science and engineering); recruit, mentor, and retain a faculty body already distinguished by national academy members, NSF CAREER award recipients, and a top-quintile research enterprise; and serve as the school’s chief advocate and storyteller with university leadership, the UT System, industry partners, alumni, and donors across the Dallas–Fort Worth region, the very ecosystem of talent, capital, and industry the Innovation Destination strategy depends on.

A profile including more information about UT Dallas and the Dean search – including preferred qualifications and a leadership agenda – is available at the link above.

How to Apply

The position is open until it is filled, but applications received by Monday, November 16, 2026, will be given full consideration. Applications should consist of a substantial letter of interest, a CV, and a list of five professional references with full contact information and a note indicating the nature of your working relationship with each. No references will be contacted without the explicit permission of the candidate. Applications, nominations, and expressions of interest can be submitted electronically, and in confidence, to: UTDEngineeringDean@academicsearch.org

Confidential discussions about this opportunity may be arranged by contacting consultants Ann Hasselmo (Ann.Hasselmo@academicsearch.org) and Chris Butler (Chris.Butler@academicsearch.org). Further information about the University of Texas at Dallas is available at https://www.utdallas.edu/.