Executive Director

The Information Science Institute at the University of Southern California (ISI) seeks an aspirational, collaborative, and strategic leader to serve as its next Executive Director. This is a unique opportunity to lead a highly regarded—and groundbreaking— Institute and help chart the course for its future. Reporting to the dean of the Viterbi School of Engineering, the Executive Director will develop the vision and guide the strategy to position ISI as a world leader in research and development of advanced artificial intelligence, information processing, computing, microelectronics, cybersecurity, and communications technologies. The Executive Director will lead ISI’s 220 faculty, professional staff, and graduate students as they carry out extraordinary science research across three distinct locations – Marina Del Rey, California; Arlington, Virginia; and Waltham, Massachusetts.

Since its inception over five decades ago, ISI has been a pioneer in the research and development of computing technologies. A world-class institution, ISI offers a prestigious, intellectually vibrant environment, combining the best of major research universities and industry labs. Today, ISI stands as one of two research powerhouses, along with its sister institute, the Institute for Creative Technologies (ICT), within one of the nation’s top-ranked engineering schools. The Executive Director will build on this momentum and develop, implement, and effectively communicate a vision to grow the impact of ISI for USC and beyond. In doing so, the Executive Director will oversee initiatives and operations dedicated to catalyzing interdisciplinary research, scholarship, and innovation while implementing a sustainable revenue-generating funding model largely supported by federally funded research. The successful candidate will be an exceptional communicator with a demonstrated record of multidisciplinary team-building experience and will effectively manage across a variety of internal and external stakeholders, all in service to the ISI mission of imagining bold solutions to complex problems and transforming lives.

Compensation will be commensurate with experience, with an anticipated salary range of approximately $375,000 to $425,000.

Screening of complete applications will begin immediately and continue until the completion of the search process. Inquiries, nominations, referrals, and CVs with cover letters should be sent below. 

Courtney Wilk-Mandel is leading this search with Luciano Zuniga and Cara Meyers.

USC is an equal-opportunity educator and employer, proudly pluralistic and firmly committed to providing equal opportunity for outstanding persons of every race, gender, creed, and background. The university particularly encourages members of underrepresented groups, veterans, and individuals with disabilities to apply. USC will make reasonable accommodations for qualified individuals with known disabilities unless doing so would result in an undue hardship. Further information is available by contacting uschr@usc.edu.