Recreation Assistant Jobs in Arizona

INTRODUCTION

The Sport and Recreation Leadership (SRL) unit in the College of Education is seeking candidates for an Assistant Professor of Practice with expertise in collegiate athletics (administration, coaching, and the evolving business of college sport). The appointment begins in January 2027 and is based in Tucson, AZ. This career-track appointment is not eligible for tenure.

This is an opportunity to join a small, collegial faculty team at an exciting inflection point — our online graduate programs are newly launched and growing rapidly, offering unique opportunities to mentor emerging professionals and help shape the field.

The position will be focused on teaching and include internship supervision (for both undergraduate and graduate). The ideal candidate will be qualified to teach a variety of existing and new courses, which would include some (but not all) of the following:

SRL 505: Measuring Policy Impacts in Sport and Recreation

SRL 356: Sport, Adolescents & School

SRL 502: Organizational Leadership in Sport and Recreation

SRL 407/507: Theory and Practice of Coaching

New (to develop): From Amateur to Entrepreneur: The Evolving Business of Collegiate Sport

Applications will be reviewed starting August 2026 and will be accepted until the position is filled.

It is a renewable one-year appointment (with multiple-year contracts possible after the first year).

Outstanding U of A benefits include health, dental, and vision insurance plans; life insurance and disability programs; sick leave and holidays; U of A/ASU/NAU tuition reduction for the employee and qualified family members; retirement plans; access to U of A recreation and cultural activities; and more!

The University of Arizona has been recognized for our innovative work-life programs.

DUTIES & RESPONSIBILITIES

• Teaching the equivalent of four courses per semester in the Sport and Recreation Leadership undergraduate and graduate programs.
• Building upon and expanding relationships with organizations in southern Arizona and beyond to facilitate meaningful internship and experiential learning opportunities for students across collegiate athletics, sport administration, and related commercial and non-profit sectors.
• Advising SRL graduate students.
• Serving as a liaison to the Department of Athletics to strengthen partnerships, ensure program accessibility for student-athletes, and connect SRL coursework to the collegiate athletics industry.
• Contributing to departmental, college, university, and professional service activities.
• Performing other duties as assigned.

MINIMUM QUALIFICATIONS

• Earned PhD or EdD.
• At least three years of professional experience in collegiate athletics administration, sport management, coaching, or a closely related field.
• Experience teaching (and/or working with) undergraduate and/or graduate students.
• Experience working in collaborative or team environments.
• Evidence of orientation to detail and organizational skills.

PREFERRED QUALIFICATIONS

• Online teaching experience with multiple related technologies.
• Experience with NIL legislation, revenue sharing models, and the evolving regulatory landscape of collegiate athletics.
• Experience as a collegiate student-athlete, athletics administrator, or in a professional role supporting collegiate athletic programs.
• Demonstrated passion for student professional preparation, including experience with career readiness coaching, mock interviewing, resume and cover letter development, or similar activities.
• Experience supervising or coordinating internship programs, including cultivating and maintaining relationships with partner organizations.
• Earned doctorate in sport administration, higher education administration, or a related field.
• Masters-level teaching experience.
• Proven track record of teaching and working with varied populations.

LOCATION

Location: Tucson Campus

Address: Tucson, AZ USA

RANK

Rank: Assistant Professor

TENURE INFORMATION

Tenure Information: Career-Track (CT)

FLSA

FLSA: Exempt

FULL TIME/PART TIME

Full Time/Part Time: Full Time

Number of Hours Worked per Week: 40

Job FTE: 1.0

Work Calendar: Academic

Job Category: Faculty

Benefits Eligible: Yes - Full Benefits

Rate of Pay: DOE

Compensation Type: salary at 1.0 full-time equivalency (FTE)

TYPE OF CRIMINAL BACKGROUND CHECK REQUIRED

Type of criminal background check required: Name-based criminal background check (non-security sensitive)

Number of Vacancies: 1

CONTACT INFORMATION FOR CANDIDATES

Matthew Ostermeyer, PhD

Professor of Practice

Director of Sport and Recreation Leadership

ostermeyer@arizona.edu

OPEN DATE

Open Date: 6/17/2026

Open Until Filled: Yes

DOCUMENTS NEEDED TO APPLY

Curriculum Vitae (CV), Cover Letter, and Two Additional Documents

SPECIAL INSTRUCTIONS TO APPLICANT

For your application to be considered complete, please submit the following four documents:

• Cover Letter of Interest.
• Current Curriculum Vitae.
• Teaching Philosophy.
• Name and contact information THREE References (phone and email) in one PDF document (to be uploaded into the "Additional Document" slot).

NOTICE OF AVAILABILITY OF THE ANNUAL SECURITY AND FIRE SAFETY REPORT

In compliance with the Jeanne Clery Campus Safety Act (Clery Act), each year the University of Arizona releases an Annual Security Report (ASR) for each of the University’s campuses. These reports disclose information including Clery crime statistics for the previous three calendar years and policies, procedures, and programs the University uses to keep students and employees safe, including how to report crimes or other emergencies and resources for crime victims. As a campus with residential housing facilities, the Main Campus ASR also includes a combined Annual Fire Safety report with information on fire statistics and fire safety systems, policies, and procedures.

Paper copies of the Reports can be obtained by contacting the University Compliance Office at cleryact@arizona.edu.