Assistant/Associate Professor, Experience Design

Greater Western Chapter, Travel and Tourism Research Association (GWTTRA); San Luis Obispo (CA); On-site; USD 91,000 - 115,000; Full time

Job summary

The Experience Industry Management Department at California Polytechnic State University, San Luis Obispo, CA, invites applications for a full-time, academic year, tenure-track Assistant/Associate Professor of Experience Design, starting around August 12, 2027. Rank and salary commensurate with qualifications.

The successful candidate will teach courses such as Experience Design: Theories and Applications, Introduction to the Experience Industry, Sustainability in the Experience Industry,

Qualifications

• Earned doctorate (Ph.D.) in experience design, tourism, event management, hospitality, sport management, recreation, marketing, psychology, or a closely related field.
• Candidates must demonstrate excellence in teaching, effective communication, interpersonal skills, and the ability to be a team player.
• Demonstrated potential for securing external funding and publishing research.

Responsibilities

• Teach undergraduate courses in the Experience Industry Management Department, including Experience Design: Theories and Applications and other listed courses.
• Supervise undergraduate senior projects and internships, provide student advising, and teach online or in certificate programs.
• Engage in scholarly activities (research, grants, publications, presentations) and contribute to the Experience Innovations Lab.
• Participate in service on department, college, and university committees.

Skills

Teaching excellence

Effective communication

Interpersonal skills

Team player

English proficiency

Education

Ph.D. in related field

Job description

Organization/Company Name: Cal Poly San Luis Obispo

Location: San Luis Obsipo

The Experience Industry Management Department in the College of Agriculture, Food and Environmental Sciences at California Polytechnic State University, San Luis Obispo, CA, is seeking a full-time, academic year, tenure‑track Assistant/Associate Professor of Experience Design, starting approximately August 12, 2027. Rank and salary will be commensurate with qualifications and experience. The successful candidate will contribute broadly to the experience industry, with a primary scholarly and teaching emphasis on experience design. The position offers an exciting opportunity to shape how students learn to design, deliver, and evaluate meaningful experiences across tourism, events, hospitality, sport, recreation, and emerging experience‑based sectors. The successful candidate will teach undergraduate courses in the Experience Industry Management Department, including courses such as Experience Design: Theories and Applications, Introduction to the Experience Industry, Sustainability in the Experience Industry, Evaluation and Assessment Methods in the Experience Industries, Interpreting Experience Industry Data Analytics, Strategic Event Planning, and Strategic Event Implementation, and Senior Project

Duties may also include, but are not limited to, supervision of undergraduate senior projects and internships, student advising, and teaching online, or teaching in certificate programs. The successful candidate is expected to participate in scholarly activities (i.e., research, grant writing, publications, and presentations) in an area of expertise directly related to experience design, design thinking, customer/guest experience, data analytics and/or artificial intelligence, or a related field, as part of their professional development and as an integral contributor to the Experience Innovations Lab, where the candidate will play a central role in leading projects, pursuing external funding, and advancing the lab’s mission. The successful candidate is also expected to provide service on committees for the department, college, and university and participate in related instructional activities. Expectations also include service to local, state, national, international, and related professional organizations.

Rank and salary commensurate with education and experience of the individual selected. Anticipated hiring ranges:

Assistant Professor: $90,948 – $105,156

Associate Professor: $105,492 – $114,720

EQUAL OPPORTUNITY AND EXCELLENCE IN EDUCATION AND EMPLOYMENT

This position is open and available to all regardless of race, sex, color, ethnicity or national origin. Consistent with California law and federal civil rights laws, Cal Poly provides equal opportunity in education and employment without unlawful discrimination or preferential treatment based on race, sex, color, ethnicity, or national origin. Our commitment to equal opportunity means ensuring that every student and employee has access to the resources and support they need to thrive and succeed in a university environment and in their communities. Cal Poly complies with Title VI of the Civil Rights Act of 1964, Title IX of the Education Amendments of 1972, the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA), Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act, the California Equity in Higher Education Act, California’s Proposition 209 (Art. I, Section 31 of the California Constitution), other applicable state and federal anti-discrimination laws, and CSU’s Nondiscrimination Policy. We prohibit discriminatory preferential treatment, segregation based on race or any other protected status, and all forms of discrimination, harassment, and retaliation in all university programs, policies, and practices.

Required Qualifications

An earned doctorate (Ph.D.) in experience design, tourism, event management, hospitality, sport management, recreation, marketing, psychology, or a closely related field. Candidates nearing completion of the doctorate (ABD) may be considered but must provide proof that the doctorate was awarded prior to the start of the appointment.

Candidates must demonstrate, or show potential for, excellence in teaching, effective communication, interpersonal skills, and ability to be a team player. Demonstrated proficiency in written and oral use of the English language is required.

Candidates must also demonstrate, or show potential for, an ability to secure external funding and publish research. The ability to interact well with peers, students, industry partners, and the general public is essential. Demonstrated experience and commitment to student-centered learning and teaching, as well as demonstrated ability to collaboratively work in multidisciplinary settings are required. A demonstrated commitment to fostering inclusive, equitable, and supportive learning environments, is required.

Preferred Qualifications

Preference will be given to candidates with applied and innovative research backgrounds in experience design and the broader experience industry, including areas such as design thinking, customer/guest experience, and data analytics and/or artificial intelligence in the experience industry. Industry experience in experience design or related experience‑industry sectors, university-level teaching experience, a record of successful academic research, and the demonstrated ability to generate external funding will all be given preference. Experience with course development, the ability to collaborate on research with faculty across the College, University, and industry, and international experience or the desire to cultivate international links are also preferred.

SPECIAL CONDITIONS

The person holding this position is considered a ‘mandated reporter’ under the California Child Abuse and Neglect Reporting Act and is required to comply with the requirements set forth in CSU Executive Order 1083 as a condition of employment.

Following a conditional offer of employment, a background check (including a criminal records check) must be completed satisfactorily before any candidate may start work with Cal Poly, San Luis Obispo. Failure to satisfactorily complete the background check may result in the withdrawal of the offer of employment. Note: Cal Poly cannot deny an applicant a position solely or in part due to a criminal conviction history until it has performed an individualized assessment and linked the relevant conviction history with specific job duties in the position being sought.

Please note: Current employees who are offered positions on campus will be required to undergo a background check for any position where a background check is required by law or that Cal Poly has designated as sensitive. Sensitive positions are those requiring heightened scrutiny of individuals holding the position based on potential for harm to children, concerns for the safety and security of people, animals, or property, or heightened risk of financial loss to Cal Poly or individuals in the university community.

For health and well-being, Cal Poly is a smoke & tobacco-free campus. The university is committed to promoting a healthy environment for all members of our community.

In accordance with the California State University (CSU) Out-of-State Employment Policy, the CSU is a state entity whose business operations reside within the State of California and prohibits hiring employees to perform CSU related work outside of California. At Cal Poly, tenure-line faculty are expected to establish an on-campus presence.

Subject to further planning and approval, Cal Poly anticipates a possible transition to semester-based year-round operations (YRO). Under YRO, full-time academic year faculty may be assigned to teach in two consecutive semesters (Fall/Spring, Spring/Summer, or Summer/Fall) out of the three semesters offered annually. The two-semester sequence will constitute the regular academic year appointment. Faculty may also be eligible to teach in the third semester for additional compensation, subject to departmental needs and University policy.

About The Department

The Experience Industry Management (EIM) Department in the College of Agriculture, Food and Environmental Sciences offers a B.S. in Experience and Event Management and a minor in Event Planning and Experience Management. The Experience Industry Management department, accredited by the Council on Accreditation of Parks, Recreation, Tourism and Related Professions, offers areas of study in Event Planning and Management, Tourism, Hospitality and Destination Management, and Sport and Recreation Management. The Experience Industry Management department’s vision is to cultivate leaders and innovators in industries that promote healthy lifestyles, protect memorable places, and facilitate life-enhancing experiences for individuals, communities, and the global society.