Tenure Track Faculty in Sustainable Tourism and Hospitality

Western Colorado University • Gunnison, CO

1d • $90,000 - $110,000 • Onsite

About The Position

Western Colorado University invites applications for a full-time, tenure-track position in Sustainable Tourism and Hospitality. We seek a dynamic teacher-scholar who is committed to student-centered learning, professional preparation, and inclusive, interdisciplinary education. This is an in-person, on-campus position on our vibrant residential campus in Gunnison, Colorado.

Located in the heart of Colorado’s world-renowned tourism and outdoor recreation region, Western offers students a one-of-a-kind environment to learn, lead, and grow. Surrounded by top ski resorts, national parks, boutique lodges, and adventure tourism hubs, students gain direct access to the very settings where hospitality excellence is both expected and tested — and these same lessons apply on a global scale. Students gain expertise in key areas such as marketing, human resources, real estate, finance, data analytics, and facilities management.

The standard teaching load is 24 credit hours per academic year. The successful candidate will deliver engaging, well-designed courses in tourism and hospitality, including an introductory course, Resort Operations and Management, as well as other courses aligned with their expertise and departmental needs. The successful candidate will also work with faculty in the Business School to reimagine this program toward experience management (including sports, entertainment, and more). We especially value faculty who engage students in high-impact practices such as internships, research, community-based learning, and who participate in our Western Watershed General Education and First-Year Seminar Headwaters courses. We prepare students for a livelihood based on their values and aid students in gaining post-graduate opportunities.
The School of Business serves over 325 students across its majors and minors. Students can earn a degree in Business Administration and Economics, with emphases in energy management, finance, management, and marketing, combining rigorous academic preparation with high-impact experiential learning.
Western supports its faculty by fostering a collaborative and innovative academic community. Our Teaching and Learning Center (TLC) actively engages faculty, staff, and administrators in cross-campus initiatives designed to reimagine WCU’s educational landscape—rooted in diverse expertise and committed to continuous growth. The Professional Activity Fund (PAF) provides financial support for faculty engaged in research, artistic projects, grant writing, and other scholarly or creative activities, with three application opportunities each year.
Western’s faculty are teacher-scholars who contribute meaningfully to their discipline, the campus, our community, and beyond. We seek candidates who will actively support our institutional mission and strategic priorities, including:
Participating in our innovative Western Watershed General Education program
Promoting wellness, inclusion, and belonging
Collaborating within and across disciplines to grow enrollment and deepen student engagement
Expanding career-connected learning and professional pathways
Learn more about the department at: https://western.edu/department/school-of-business/

Requirements

• A Ph.D. or similar degree in the tourism and/or hospitality areas or related field is required. ABD considered for hire, completed degree required for tenure.
• Demonstrated commitment to undergraduate education.
• Excellence in teaching.
• Willingness to work with and be sensitive to the educational needs of all students.
• Ability for research and professional development within a related field of study.
• Experience in university service.
• Ability to use technology in instructional delivery, including the ability to teach online and hybrid courses.
• Collegiality and professional flexibility.

Responsibilities

• Deliver engaging, well-designed courses in tourism and hospitality, including an introductory course, Resort Operations and Management, as well as other courses aligned with their expertise and departmental needs.
• Work with faculty in the Business School to reimagine this program toward experience management (including sports, entertainment, and more).
• Engage students in high-impact practices such as internships, research, community-based learning.
• Participate in Western Watershed General Education and First-Year Seminar Headwaters courses.
• Contribute meaningfully to their discipline, the campus, our community, and beyond.
• Actively support institutional mission and strategic priorities.
• Participate in the innovative Western Watershed General Education program.
• Promote wellness, inclusion, and belonging.
• Collaborate within and across disciplines to grow enrollment and deepen student engagement.
• Expand career-connected learning and professional pathways.
• Engage in research and professional development within a related field of study.
• Participate in university service.

Benefits

• Shared premiums for comprehensive health insurance
• Dental insurance
• Retirement benefits
• Life insurance
• Additional insurance options
• Free tuition for eligible dependents enrolled full-time in undergraduate programs for up to four years (after one year of employment)

What This Job Offers

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