The Center for Information Technology Research in the Interest of Society (CITRIS) and the Banatao Institute are seeking a new Director, for a start date of January 1, 2024. We invite nominations of tenured Berkeley faculty. The candidate should have a well established research and professional reputation in a relevant discipline as well as demonstrated leadership and administrative abilities.
We anticipate that commitment for this five-year position with a possibility of renewal will be a full-time effort, and will follow the calendar year. The new director will be identified by mid October to allow for orientation by the outgoing CITRIS director.
About CITRIS
Founded in 2001, CITRIS is a recognized Institute of Science and Innovation (ISI), one of four in the UC system. CITRIS leverages the research strengths of the University of California campuses at Berkeley, Davis, Merced and Santa Cruz, and operates within the greater ecosystem of the University and the innovative and entrepreneurial spirit of Silicon Valley. The Center’s research initiatives address the current era of vast technological change, with initiatives in aviation, climate, and health, along with cross-cutting programs in tech policy, innovation and entrepreneurship, and diversity, equity and inclusion. As an ISI, CITRIS reports to the Vice President for Research and Innovation at UCOP. The CITRIS Director reports by delegation to the Vice Chancellor for Research (VCR) at UC Berkeley.
The Center strengthens bridges between world-class laboratory research, state and national policymakers, and companies and startups creating new applications and reshaping entire industries. CITRIS facilitates interdisciplinary work among hundreds of University of California faculty members, students, corporate partners, and international institutions. Together with these public and private partners, it is shaping the future of technology in ways that cross traditional boundaries.
Director Role
The new Director will assume the following responsibilities:
Strategic direction
- Together with the Executive Director, campus Directors at Davis, Merced and Santa Cruz, and other members of the leadership team (directors and executive directors of research initiatives, labs and programs), the Director pursues a research, entrepreneurship and outreach agenda for the Institute that joins cutting edge technology development with social impact
- Cultivates an active Advisory Board composed of industry partners, philanthropic donors, government agency representatives and senior academic leaders
- Leads major planning events (Strategic Plan, annual retreat, periodic campus visits)
Stakeholder engagement
- Leads VIP meetings and convenings: CITRIS Advisory Board (three times per year), the four Chancellors (twice a year), Berkeley Faculty Forum (twice a year), industrial and philanthropic meetings and events, donor cultivation, CITRIS Day, etc.
- Participates in policy outreach both in Sacramento and in Washington, DC
- Consistent communications with UCOP and other ISI Directors (hosts monthly meetings).
Supervision
- Manages the appointment and supervision of the Executive and Initiative Directors (see organizational chart here)
- Coordinates programmatic activities across all CITRIS campuses
- Manages six direct staff reports and provides oversight for director-level functions (Initiatives on Health, Aviation, Climate, Tech Policy, the Invention Lab and Innovation Hub), as well coordinates the activities of campus directors at UCD, UCM and UCSC.
Operations
- Leads monthly leadership meetings, and monthly all-staff meetings
- Reviews and approves the annual operating budget, and tracks monthly its execution
- Chairs the Sutardja Dai Hall (SDH) Building Management Committee that meets monthly and responds to space requests
- Holds separate monthly meetings with the Deans of the College of Engineering (COE) and the College of Computing, Data Science, and Society (CDSS), and with the VCR at UCB
- Holds twice a year meetings with the UCB Board consisting of the Dean of COE, the Dean of CDSS and the Vice Chancellor of Research.
Desirable Candidate Qualifications
Nominee must be a tenured Berkeley faculty member. The ideal candidate would meet the following criteria:
- Distinguished record of scholarship in disciplines related to Information Technology, broadly defined, in its creation, application, and/or social implications
- Dedication to interdisciplinary research as demonstrated in the candidate's own research or leadership of such programs
- Community outreach, collaboration and engagement with the goal of social impact
- Leadership and administrative abilities to provide outward looking vision
- Demonstrated experience in program development
- Demonstrated fundraising abilities (government sources, industry partnerships, philanthropic donors)
- Commitment to UC Berkeley's "Principles of Community"
- Demonstrated knowledge of and/or collaboration with related activities at partner campuses.
Nomination Process
Please submit nominations by completing the online nomination form as soon as possible and no later than June 23, 2023. Self-nominations are welcome. Upon receipt of nominations, the appointed search advisory committee will request that interested nominees submit a letter of interest by July 12, 2023. Your assistance in sharing this communication with your colleagues is greatly appreciated.