Director, Halıcıoğlu Data Science Institute

University of California, San Diego; San Diego (CA); On-site; USD 200,000 - 400,000; Full time

Job summary

University of California San Diego invites applications for the position of Director of the Halıcıoğlu Data Science Institute (HDSI). The director will provide visionary leadership, drive cross-disciplinary research, and mobilize resources to accelerate data science and AI initiatives across campus.

The successful candidate will build strategic partnerships, foster academic entrepreneurship, and manage complex programs to advance human knowledge, health, and well-being through data-driven

Qualifications

• Proven track record in leading large research centers.
• Experience directing interdisciplinary teams across CS, engineering, and sciences.
• Strong communication and stakeholder management.

Responsibilities

• Set strategic vision for HDSI and scalable growth.
• Drive partnerships with academic and industry collaborators.
• Lead fundraising and program development.

Skills

Leadership

Data Science

Artificial Intelligence

Machine Learning

Strategic Planning

Academic Leadership

Job description

Director, Halıcıoğlu Data Science Institute

University of California San Diego

Position overview

Position title: Director Salary range: A reasonable salary range estimate for this position is $200,000 - $400,000. The UC academic salary scales are posted on the UCOP website. These scales set the minimum pay determined by rank and/or step at appointment. See the following table for the salary scale for this position Table 3: FACULTY--LADDER RANKS--BUSINESS/ECONOMICS/ENGINEERING ACADEMIC YEAR. The base salary range, from the salary table(s), for this position is $150,100 - $241,400. \"Off-scale salaries\" and other components of pay, i.e., a salary that is higher than the published system-wide salary at the designated rank and step, are offered when necessary to meet competitive conditions, qualifications, and experience. Additional UCSD salary information can be found on the campus Academic Personnel Services website.

Application Window

Open date: July 1, 2026. Most recent review date: Friday, Jul 31, 2026 at 11:59pm (Pacific Time). Final date: Thursday, Dec 31, 2026 at 11:59pm (Pacific Time). Applications will continue to be accepted until this date, but those received after the review date will only be considered if the position has not yet been filled.

Position description

The University of California San Diego (UC San Diego) seeks an internationally recognized leader in data sciences with the intellectual leadership, academic entrepreneurship experience, and dedication to serve as the Director of the Halıcıoğlu Data Science Institute (HDSI). HDSI seeks a Director to propel HDSI into the next phase of its growth, while leveraging the tremendous intellectual, infrastructural, and financial resources of the Halıcıoğlu School of Data Science and Computing into enabling center-scale research projects with potential for high impact. HDSI was founded in 2018 with the philanthropic support of Taner Halıcıoğlu, a UC San Diego computer science and engineering alumnus ('96) and an early Facebook engineer, which led to the institute being named in his honor. Since that time, HDSI has been a world leader in establishing the scientific foundations of the field of data science, developing new methods and infrastructure, and training students and partners to use data science to address pressing global problems. HDSI serves as a hub for data science and AI advances across the entirety of UC San Diego academics and with the national and international research community to accelerate discovery in every field of inquiry and drive real-world impact. HDSI's new Director will be a strategic, transformative leader with a compelling vision for the future of areas of data sciences, including machine learning, artificial intelligence, high-performance computing, cyberinfrastructure, and the applications and services that enable researchers to make full use of leading-edge, world-class resources to advance human knowledge, health, and well-being. The successful candidate will be someone who combines this breadth of vision with effective leadership and management as demonstrated by a solid prior track record. To be successful, the Director will address the following opportunities and challenges, outlined further below:

ABOUT HDSI

In 2018, UC San Diego established HDSI with philanthropic support, including a $75 million gift from Alumnus Taner Halıcıoğlu, strengthening the institution's depth in technology-related domains. Uniquely positioned as the only standalone academic unit on campus, HDSI demonstrated rapid growth in increasing enrollment, faculty, and research and grant portfolios. The interdisciplinary nature of HDSI has allowed