Recreation, Park, and Tourism Management: Assistant/Associate Professor of Tourism Management

Penn State University • Ferguson Township, PA

132d

About The Position

The Department of Recreation, Park, and Tourism Management at Penn State seeks an outstanding colleague to contribute to our engaged, productive, and collegial group whose mission is to transform human health and wellbeing through research, teaching and outreach associated with engaging people with recreation, park, and tourism activities (RPTM). We are excited to announce a tenure-line opening for an assistant or associate professor in the general area of tourism management to begin in fall 2026. We seek an energetic and collaborative colleague who will contribute broadly to our departmental goals, and we are particularly interested in candidates who can make meaningful contributions and linkages to cross-campus entities. The successful candidate will be expected to develop or continue a funded and focused line of high-quality research. As a department of approximately 350 undergraduate students on a University Park campus of over 42,000 undergraduates, we also highly value effectively engaging students inside and outside the classroom.

Requirements

• Earned Ph.D. in a relevant field.
• Broad background in recreation, park and tourism management.
• Specific expertise in travel and tourism.
• Demonstrated research excellence and productivity.
• Commitment to engaged and inclusive learning practices.

Nice To Haves

• Research and teaching experience in the management of tourism systems.
• Experience with cross-campus collaborations.

Responsibilities

• Develop or continue a funded and focused line of high-quality research.
• Teach undergraduate and graduate courses in RPTM.
• Supervise and fund both undergraduate and graduate (M.S./Ph.D.) student research.
• Provide service to the RPTM department, the College of Health and Human Development, and the University.
• Mentor and guide graduate students through to completion of their theses and dissertations.

Benefits

• Comprehensive medical, dental, and vision coverage.
• Robust retirement plans.
• 75% tuition discount for employees and eligible family members.

What This Job Offers

• Job Type: Full-time
• Career Level: Entry Level
• Education Level: Ph.D. or professional degree