Job Description
Assistant Professor
Assistant Professor
Company:
Indiana University Indianapolis
Job Location:
Indianapolis, Indiana
Category:
Hospitality and Tourism
Type:
Full-Time
Appointment Status:
Tenure Track Department:
IU Indianapolis Tourism, Conventions, and Event Management - School of Health & Human Sciences Location
Indianapolis Position Summary
Indiana University Indianapolis invites applications for a 10-month tenure-track Assistant Professor in Tourism, Hospitality, or Event Management to support its expanding programs in tourism, events, hospitality, and sport management. The anticipated start date is August 1, 2026. Located in the heart of downtown Indianapolis, IU Indianapolis offers a distinctive urban research environment in one of the nation's premier destinations for conventions, mega-events, and sports tourism. Indianapolis is internationally recognized as the "Sports Capital of the World," home to the NCAA headquarters, major professional sports franchises, global sporting events, and a thriving sport-tech ecosystem. The city also features one of the most highly regarded convention centers in the United States-the Indiana Convention Center-positioning Indianapolis as a leading convention and mega-event destination.
This setting provides unparalleled opportunities for industry collaboration, applied research, and experiential learning partnerships across tourism, hospitality, event management, and sport industries. Position OverviewThe successful candidate will contribute to undergraduate instruction in areas such as:
Tourism and destination management
Convention and event management
Hotel operations and revenue management
Hospitality leadership and strategy
Sport and event tourism
Tourism and hospitality analytics
Sustainable and resilient destinations
Experience design
We welcome applicants committed to addressing complex challenges in tourism systems, destination competitiveness, event strategy, hospitality innovation, sustainability, technology integration, and data-informed decision-making. Research and Collaboration Opportunities We seek scholars who create or employ innovative qualitative, quantitative, or computational methods to examine issues including:
Convention and mega-event impact
Sport tourism and event-driven development
Urban destination strategy and competitiveness
Hospitality performance and revenue optimization
Tourism analytics and predictive modeling
Sustainable tourism and community engagement
Technology, AI, and smart destinations
Indianapolis provides a living laboratory for tourism and event research. Faculty have strong potential to collaborate with:
The Indiana Convention Center and Visit Indy
NCAA and national governing sport bodies
Professional sport franchises and event organizers
Major recurring events (e.g., large-scale sporting championships, conventions, and festivals)
Hospitality leaders, venue operators, and destination management organizations
Responsibilities
Teach undergraduate courses in tourism, hospitality, event management, sport tourism, or related domains.
Establish and sustain a productive research agenda with potential for external funding.
Develop applied partnerships with tourism, hospitality, convention, and sport industry stakeholders.
Contribute to interdisciplinary initiatives and community engagement.
Mentor undergraduate students.
Provide service at the departmental, school, and university levels.
Support learners through effective, evidence-based teaching practices.
Duties
50% Research
40% Teaching (2 courses/fall and spring semesters)
10% Service
About IU Indianapolis IU Indianapolis is Indiana's premier urban public research university and holds both Community Engagement and R1 Carnegie Classifications. The campus serves more than 22,000 students across 15 schools and is making major investments in research infrastructure, including:
The Convergent Bioscience and Technology Institute
The Institute for Human Health and Wellbeing
IU LAB at 16 Tech, supported by a $138 million Lilly Endowment grant
The School of Health & Human Sciences prepares graduates to lead in complex global industries and seeks scholars committed to impactful research, innovative teaching, and meaningful engagement with Indianapolis and beyond. Basic Qualifications
Ph.D. in a related discipline, including but not limited to: hospitality, tourism, leisure studies, event management, sport tourism, or others
Demonstrated potential for success in research as demonstrated by peer-reviewed publications and presentations.
Potential to secure independent external funding with collaborative research in the health sciences and related fields.
Evolving research program aligned with or complementary to the IU Indianapolis School of Health & Human Sciences.
Teach undergraduate courses in tourism, hospitality, event management, sport tourism, or related domains.
Develop applied partnerships with tourism, hospitality, convention, and sport industry stakeholders.
Provide service at the departmental, school, and university levels.
Department Contact for Questions
For more information on the position, don't hesitate to get in touch with the search committee chair, Dr. David Pierce, at dpierce3@iu.edu. Additional information on the School of Health & Human Sciences, as well as the Department of Tourism, Event and Sport Management, is available at: https://shhs.indianapolis.iu.edu/index.html. Additional Qualifications
Post-doctoral training or equivalent field/industry experience
College teaching experience
Potential for collaborative and/or interdisciplinary research across SHHS and the IU Indianapolis campus
History of independent external funding with collaborative research with Industry and the private sectors
Expected Start Date:
08/01/2026 Posting Number
IU-101508-2026
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