What are the responsibilities and job description for the Assistant Professor position at Indiana University and Careers?
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.
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 Overview
The 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
Salary and Rank
Special Instructions
For Best Consideration Date
Expected Start Date
08/01/2026
Posting Number
IU-101508-2026