Amazon will open an 85,000-square-foot "Tech Hub" in University City Thursday that the tech giant said would create 300 new jobs in the areas of software development, machine learning, cloud computing and digital entertainment.
San Diego Mayor Kevin Faulconer and Assemblyman Todd Gloria are scheduled to attend the grand opening event.
"This new facility is an investment in San Diego's growing innovation economy, our talented workforce and the relationship we have with one of the world's leading companies, and I can't wait to see what exciting new technologies Amazon will be developing right here in America's Finest City," Faulconer said.
Amazon's San Diego expansion is the brainchild of Nate Wiger, a UC San Diego graduate who proposed the idea in 2016 while working at Amazon's Irvine office. He is now the general manager of the San Diego office.
Amazon leased the office space for the Tech Hub last September.
"We look forward to more than doubling our investment in the area, and hiring local talent to fill exciting roles across Amazon," Wiger said. "Thank you to all our partners across the city and the state for helping us create these new jobs, and contributing to the already vibrant innovation economy in San Diego."
The expansion will serve as one of Amazon's 17 Tech Hubs in the U.S. and Canada, not including the company's Seattle headquarters. The Tech Hubs employ more than 17,500 people in North America and the company employs more than 575,000 people worldwide.
