The School of Community Resources and Development at Arizona State University is conducting a search for a tenure-track Assistant Professor position in Parks and Recreation. This is a full-time, benefits-eligible, academic-year (9-month) faculty position that will begin in August 2025. We are open to all broadly defined parks and recreation related fields, including but not limited to, the following areas: recreation, natural resources, geography, sustainability, planning, health and well-being, forestry, and environmental studies. We will consider any candidate who is eligible for appointment as a tenure-track assistant professor in August 2025 (e.g., current ABDs, recently completed Ph.D., postdoctoral scholars, current faculty members).

About the School of Community Resources and Development

The School of Community Resources and Development (SCRD) is one of four schools in the Watts College of Public Service and Community Solutions, a vibrant community of active scholars committed to excellence in education and innovative responses to collective problems. SCRD is ranked #7 in the world and #2 in the U.S. for Hospitality, Leisure, Sport, and Tourism according to the Center for World University Rankings. The mission of SCRD is to co-create transformative solutions that enhance the social, cultural, environmental, and economic well-being of communities.

SCRD is in the heart of downtown Phoenix, the fifth largest city in the United States. The School is within walking distance of federal, state, and municipal parks and recreation related agencies. We have a myriad of parks, restaurants, hotels, and other sport and cultural amenities right in our downtown. We offer degrees at all levels and in multiple modalities. These include a BS in Parks, Recreation and Sport Management, a master’s degree in Community Resources & Development (with a concentration in Parks and Recreation Management), and a Ph.D. in Community Resources & Development.

Our Commitment to Inclusion and Excellence

The School of Community Resources and Development actively seeks and supports a faculty committed to inclusion and access. As a Hispanic Serving Institution and home to the highest number of international students, we are proud to serve an inclusive student body including a high percentage who are the first in their families to go to college or are veterans. We seek applicants who have experience teaching, mentoring, and developing research in ways that effectively address individuals from historically underrepresented backgrounds.

Job Responsibilities

The successful candidate will be expected to develop and maintain a record of scholarly productivity as demonstrated through peer-reviewed publications, external funding, and other scholarly activities, deliver excellent in-class and online instruction at both the undergraduate and graduate level, advise and mentor students, and participate in service activities on behalf of the college, profession and community.

All we do at ASU is guided and inspired by the University Charter, which reads:

ASU is a comprehensive public research university, measured not by whom it excludes, but by whom it includes and how they succeed; advancing research and discovery of public value; and assuming fundamental responsibility for the economic, social, cultural, and overall health of the communities it serves.

Successful candidates will demonstrate throughout their materials how their teaching, research, and service will contribute to the fulfillment of this charter.

Required Qualifications

• Earned PhD in tourism, parks and recreation, leisure studies; community development, geography, natural resource management, sustainability, forestry or a closely related field from an accredited institution by time of appointment. ABDs can also apply if evidence of completion is offered at the time of hire.
• Evidence of a strong or promising program of scholarship in parks and recreation and/or related fields.
• Ability to teach in-person and online, and mentor students effectively.
• Consistent with ASU’s Charter, a demonstrated commitment to inclusion.

Desired Qualifications

• Evidence of research in parks and recreation or related fields.
• Potential or demonstrate excellence in publishing in top-tier peer-reviewed journals.
• Potential or demonstrated ability to secure external funding to support research.
• Evidence of experience in teaching in parks and recreation or related courses.
• Demonstrated ability to teach effectively in classroom settings, both in-person and online.
• Interest in mentoring students, and commitment to their success.

Application Procedure

Complete application materials must contain the following items:

1. A cover letter no more than three pages describing the following:
   • Your interest in the position and your fit relative to the required and desired qualifications.
   • A statement addressing your current and future research.
   • A statement of teaching philosophy and approach.
2. A complete curriculum vitae that details your educational and professional history, and complete contact information (mailing address, email address, and phone number).
3. A recent sample of scholarly writing. This could be a dissertation chapter, published journal article, or a research manuscript authoured by the applicant).
4. Evidence of teaching effectiveness such as student or peer evaluations, syllabi, assignments, student portfolios, or training materials the appicant has designed (a maximum of three pieces of evidence required).
5. The names and complete contact information of three references (name, title, organization, email address, and phone number). One of the references needs to be a current supervisor or chair. Please note that references are not contacted until a candidate is identified as a finalist for the position.

Application Deadline

The initial application deadline is November 22, 2024, at 3:00 p.m. Arizona Time. Applications will continue to be accepted on a rolling basis for a reserve pool. Applications in the reserve pool may then be reviewed in the order in which they were received until the position is filled.

Please feel free to contact the Search Committee Chair, Dr. Gyan Nyaupane (gyan.nyaupane@asu.edu) with any questions.