Tenure-Line Asst. Professor of RPTM

The Pennsylvania State University•University Park, FL

33d•Hybrid

About The Position

The Department of Recreation, Park, and Tourism Management (RPTM) at Penn State is seeking to hire a tenure-line faculty member at the rank of Assistant Professor to begin in Fall 2027. The ideal candidate will have a research focus broadly on outdoor recreation management (public lands policy and governance, outdoor recreation economy, environmental justice and access to nature, climate adaption), visitor use management (carrying capacity, visitor monitoring technologies, recreation ecology), and/or the intersection between people, nature, and health (nature-based health interventions, restorative environments, environmental psychology). The position requires an active line of programmatic research and the ability to supervise and fund graduate (M.S./Ph.D.) student research. The department is particularly interested in researchers whose work facilitates inter- or transdisciplinary collaborations and those employing cutting-edge research methods, including innovative quantitative, qualitative, or mixed-method approaches, or emerging computational methods. Candidates are also sought who can contribute to and collaborate with cross-campus entities and engage with community organizations and agencies involved in land management, outdoor recreation, or outdoor engagement. The department serves approximately 350 undergraduate students and values effective teaching and student engagement. The successful candidate will be expected to teach in the RPTM undergraduate core, the Outdoor Recreation Management option area, the Sustainability Leadership Minor, and the graduate program, with a commitment to engaged and inclusive learning practices in both in-person and online environments. Service commitments to the department, college, university, and profession are also expected.

Requirements

Ph.D. in a relevant field.
Active line of programmatic research.
Prepared to supervise and fund graduate (M.S./Ph.D.) student research.
Ability to teach into the RPTM undergraduate core, Outdoor Recreation Management option area, Sustainability Leadership Minor, and graduate program.
Commitment to engaged and inclusive learning practices in the context of in-person and/or online (synchronous and asynchronous) classrooms.
Willingness to fulfill service commitments to the RPTM department, the College of Health and Human Development, the University, and to their profession.
Successful completion of background check(s).

Nice To Haves

Researchers whose work is fit for inter- or transdisciplinary collaborations.
Researchers engaging in cutting-edge research-methods, whether that is innovative quantitative, qualitative, or mixed-method approaches, or emerging computational methods (e.g., machine learning applications, wearable sensors and physiological monitoring, environmental sensors and GPS tracking, agent-based modeling, scenario modeling).
Candidates who can make meaningful contributions and linkages to cross-campus entities (e.g., Institutes for Energies and Environment, Ecology Institute, Social Science Research Institute, Institute of Computational or Data Sciences, Shaver’s Creek Environmental Education Center, Center for Social Data Analytics and associated SODA dual-title doctoral program, and/or the dual-degree graduate program in Transdisciplinary Research on Environment and Society (TREES)).
Candidates who would be able to engage community organizations and agencies involved in land management, outdoor recreation management, or engagement with individuals in the outdoors.

Responsibilities

Supervise and fund graduate (M.S./Ph.D.) student research.
Teach into the RPTM undergraduate core, Outdoor Recreation Management option area, Sustainability Leadership Minor, and graduate program.
Engage in engaged and inclusive learning practices in in-person and/or online classrooms.
Fulfill service commitments to the RPTM department, the College of Health and Human Development, the University, and the profession.
Engage community organizations and agencies involved in land management, outdoor recreation management, or engagement with individuals in the outdoors.