Description

Opportunity

Cedars-Sinai Health System seeks a collaborative and strategic leader to serve as chair of the Department of Imaging. The chair will fill a key executive role at nationally-ranked Cedars-Sinai. This is an outstanding opportunity for an accomplished clinical leader to oversee innovation and the highest quality clinical care across Cedars-Sinai. The chair will direct all facets of the department, ensuring that the overall strategic vision and direction aligns with the broader Cedars-Sinai mission. The chair will achieve success by providing expert leadership in the following areas:

•          Strategic and operational oversight. The chair manages all aspects of the department, including administrative, clinical, research, and educational initiatives.
•          Patient care and quality improvement. A key focus is on ensuring excellent patient care. The chair actively promotes patient safety, quality improvement, and risk management by linking them to evidence-based medicine.
•          Research and education. The chair is a leader in fostering the department's research agenda and its interdisciplinary collaboration within Cedars-Sinai. They also have operational oversight of the residency and fellowship programs, ensuring excellence in training and education.
•          Faculty and staff development. The chair is responsible for attracting, mentoring, and developing both clinical and research-focused physicians. They provide guidance to junior faculty members to create a strong, robust department.
•          Interdepartmental coordination. The chair is the primary driver in integrating and coordinating the Imaging Department's services with other departments and service lines to ensure a seamless and collaborative healthcare environment.

The chair jointly reports to the Executive Vice President, Medicine and Health Sciences and Dean of the Medical Faculty (for academic and research issues), and the Executive Vice President and Chief Operating Officer, Cedars-Sinai Medical Center (for operational and quality issues).

Cedars-Sinai Imaging

The Department of Imaging at Cedars-Sinai is a comprehensive and dynamic enterprise dedicated to advancing patient care, discovery, and education through state-of-the-art imaging science. Our mission is multifaceted: to deliver high-quality diagnostic and image-guided therapeutic services in a safe and timely manner; to conduct innovative clinical and translational research that informs the evolving role of imaging in disease management; to educate and mentor the next generation of physicians, scientists, and technologists; and to engage with the community to improve access to advanced imaging care.

Our faculty and clinical teams provide imaging services across the entire spectrum of disease complexity, from common and chronic conditions to rapidly evolving, surgically complex, and highly specialized disease processes, leveraging a multidisciplinary approach that ensures precise diagnosis and individualized care for patients of all ages.

The Department of Imaging performs more than 550,000 studies annually, encompassing 46% outpatient, 28% inpatient, and 26% emergency department populations. This volume underscores its capacity to support clinical care, research, and innovation at scale.

Subspecialized Expertise Across the Imaging Continuum

Across all subspecialties, Cedars-Sinai Imaging combines technical excellence, clinical innovation, and research leadership to deliver precision diagnostics and advanced therapies. By integrating subspecialized expertise with multidisciplinary collaboration, cutting-edge imaging technologies, artificial intelligence, and patient-centered care, the department continues to lead in advancing the science and practice of modern radiology.

Cedars-Sinai’s Imaging program is distinguished by both the depth and breadth of its expertise. With 50 fellowship-trained faculty representing every major imaging subspecialty, we deliver comprehensive diagnostic and interventional services for both adult and pediatric populations. Our integrated clinical, research, and outpatient capabilities span the full spectrum of imaging modalities, including:

•          Diagnostic and Interventional Radiology – advancing minimally invasive, image-guided therapies within multidisciplinary care pathways
•          Computed Tomography (CT) Imaging – offering high-resolution and rapid imaging for trauma, oncologic staging, and complex procedural planning, including advanced applications such as dual-energy CT, CT perfusion, 3D vascular mapping, and AI-assisted quantitative analysis
•          Hybrid and Molecular Imaging – PET/CT, MR/PET, and novel tracers for oncology, cardiology, and metabolic disease
•          Magnetic Resonance Imaging (MRI) – supporting precision diagnostics across neurologic, oncologic, musculoskeletal, and cardiovascular domains
•          Ultrasound – high-resolution imaging for procedural and diagnostic applications, including neonatal, pediatric, musculoskeletal, and interventional
•          Nuclear Medicine – integrating metabolic, functional, and structural assessment for advanced patient evaluation.
•          Interventional Radiology Clinic – an outpatient setting dedicated to patient evaluation, consultation, and care coordination, supported by three nurse practitioners and specialized staff.
•          Theranostics – the cutting-edge approach combining diagnostic imaging with radionuclide therapy for the precise treatment of cancer and other conditions at the molecular level.

Artificial Intelligence and Quantitative Imaging Research

Cedars-Sinai Imaging has been at the forefront of adopting artificial intelligence in radiology, with 14 AI tools currently integrated into clinical operations. These innovations advance diagnostic precision, operational efficiency, and patient care across all imaging domains. In collaboration with academic, clinical, and industry partners, Cedars-Sinai Imaging continues to expand the role of AI in clinical practice and research, using real-world data and multimodality analytics to drive discovery and improve outcomes.

Quality

Cedars-Sinai Imaging maintains compliance with national radiology standards and quality benchmarks, including ALARA principles, call-backs, turnaround times, STAT responses, critical results reporting, RVUs, clinical productivity, operational efficiency, and patient satisfaction.

Research Snapshot

• Cedars-Sinai Imaging has an excellent track record of external funding and academic productivity.  Our FY25 academic accomplishments include:
•          NIH Grants Revenue: $16,228,513
•          Total All Grants Revenue: $21,704,864
•          Peer-reviewed original publications: 155
•          Abstracts (submitted): 161
•          Reviews and Editorials: 6
•          Editorial Boards: 23

A Centralized Hub with Expansive Reach

• For over 25 years, the S. Mark Taper Foundation Imaging Center has served as the central hub of imaging innovation and excellence at Cedars-Sinai. This flagship facility is complemented by an integrated network of six additional sites, extending the reach of advanced imaging across the health system:
•          Breast Health Services Building, offering advanced breast imaging and procedures
•          Cancer – Beverly Hills, integrating oncologic imaging into precision oncologic care
•          East Medical Office Towers, supporting outpatient imaging
•          Mark Goodson Building, offering subspecialty imaging for advanced Orthopaedic and Spine clinical programs
•          The Pavilion, co-located with outpatient services
•          Research:

o   BIRI – The Biomedical Imaging Research Institute multidisciplinary research program focused on developing and implementing cutting-edge imaging technologies to address critical translational research and clinical challenges, that improve diagnosis, treatment, and patient outcomes.

o   Artificial Intelligence –Advancing imaging with AI through collaboration with independent developers to improve diagnostics and efficiency.

o   Clinical Trials and Independent Research - Conducted under the leadership of the Vice-Chair of Imaging Research, encompassing both investigator-initiated studies and collaborative clinical trials.

Together, these locations form a cohesive and highly specialized imaging infrastructure that supports Cedars-Sinai’s mission of delivering precision diagnostics, advancing discovery, and transforming patient outcomes.

Clinical Staff

The imaging staff, at 705 members, includes imaging physicians, fellows, residents, technologists, physicists, nurses and support staff.

•          Medical Physicists: Led by a nationally recognized physicist, our board-certified team ensures the highest standards of safety, precision, and quality. They oversee equipment calibration, radiation dose optimization, protocol development, and regulatory compliance, supporting both advanced clinical care and research initiatives.
•          Medical Pharmacists: All therapeutic and diagnostic doses are managed by our on-site, board-certified nuclear pharmacists, ensuring accuracy, safety, and compliance with regulatory standards. The team oversees the preparation, dispensing, and quality control of radiopharmaceuticals, supports protocol development, and collaborates closely with physicians and technologists to optimize patient care and procedural outcomes.
•          Technologists: Our imaging technologists are expertly trained and nationally board certified, ensuring they meet the highest industry standards. They are committed to professional growth by maintaining all required Continuing Education Units (CEUs) to stay current with the latest imaging techniques, technologies, and safety protocols. Working in collaboration with radiologists and medical teams, they ensure that each procedure is performed with precision to support optimal patient diagnosis and care.

The Cedars-Sinai Health System

The Cedars-Sinai Health System includes the nationally recognized Cedars-Sinai Medical Center (Cedars-Sinai) and its affiliated physician network, major programs in physician and health professions education and the highly regarded Burns and Allen Medical Research Institute. The Cedars-Sinai Health System also includes the Marina del Rey Hospital; Torrance Memorial Medical Center and its affiliated physician network, the leading healthcare organization serving Torrance and the beach cities of Los Angeles; and Huntington Health and its affiliated physician network, the leading healthcare organization serving Pasadena and the San Gabriel Valley of Los Angeles. Through the Cedars-Sinai Medical Center, the Cedars-Sinai Health System is also a joint venture partner with Select Medical in the California Rehabilitation Institute, and Providence Cedars-Sinai Tarzana Medical Center in Tarzana, California.

Cedars-Sinai Mission Statement

• As a leading academic healthcare organization, our mission is to elevate the health status of the communities we serve.
•          We deliver exceptional healthcare enhanced by research and education
•          We prioritize high-quality care for all with equity and compassion
•          We transform biomedical discoveries and innovations for better health
•          We educate tomorrow’s physicians, nurses, researchers, and healthcare professionals

Our mission is founded in the Judaic tradition, which inspires our devotion to the art and science of healing.

Vision

Trusted and respected worldwide, Cedars-Sinai will advance health and healthcare in Los Angeles and beyond.

To achieve this vision, Cedars-Sinai will:

•          Demonstrate superior quality, equity, safety, affordability, and patient experience across the care continuum.
•          Serve populations in this service area through enhanced ambulatory, primary and specialty care networks.
•          Strengthen and advance excellence in biomedical research and graduate academic and professional education programs.
•          Align with the best physicians and providers through collaborative care teams and pluralistic physician relationship models.
•          Position Cedars-Sinai as the preferred healthcare employer in the Los Angeles region and among the most preferred in the nation.
•          Advance the health status of the communities through health equity initiatives.
•          Innovate and integrate the use of emerging digital and medical technologies.
•          Ensure overall growth, financial performance and philanthropy to advance the mission and vision of the institution.

Values

In the pursuit of our vision, the actions of leadership, staff and other physicians will be guided by the following values:

Nationally Recognized High-Quality Care Delivery

Detailed attention to quality of patient care, prevention of hospital-acquired infections, patient satisfaction and a high number of preventive health screenings are hallmarks of Cedars-Sinai. Clinical programs range from primary care to specialized treatments for rare, complex and advanced illnesses. In addition, Cedars-Sinai serves the community through its Medical Network and through a variety of programs that improve the health of the most vulnerable residents of Los Angeles.

Cedars-Sinai has been named to the Honor Roll for the 10th consecutive year in U.S. News & World Report’s "Best Hospitals 2025-26" rankings. Cedars-Sinai ranked in the top ten nationally in six specialties: Gastroenterology and GI Surgery (#2); Orthopaedics (#5); Pulmonology and Lung Surgery (#5); Cardiology, Heart and Vascular Surgery (#6); Obstetrics and Gynecology (#8, tied), Diabetes and Endocrinology (#9). Three specialties were also #1 in California: Cardiology, Heart & Vascular Surgery, Gastroenterology and GI Surgery, and Orthopedics.

In 2025, Cedars-Sinai received its eight consecutive five-star rating in the Overall Hospital Quality Star

Ratings by CMS, the highest distinction by the federal agency. Of the more than 2,891 U.S. hospitals rated, only about 10% earned five stars.

Cedars-Sinai has received the National Research Corporation’s Consumer Choice Award twenty years in a row for providing the highest quality medical care in Los Angeles and has the longest-running Magnet Designation for Nursing Excellence in California. Cedars-Sinai continues to excel in patient experience, receiving top scores in the Hospital Consumer Assessment of Healthcare Providers and Systems (HCAHPS) survey, exceeding both the national and California averages for both the “overall rating” questions and the “would recommend” question. Across all survey areas (inpatient, medical practice and emergency department), Cedars-Sinai performed in the top quartile of all hospitals nationwide.

Breakthrough Research

Discovery is a core value to Cedars-Sinai’s mission. The institution’s laboratories and clinics generate ideas,

therapies, devices and systems that contribute to biomedical progress around the world. More than 2,000 current research projects explore the full breadth of biomedical research. Examples include investigating how high-fat diets promote liver cancer, the effects of near weightlessness on iPSCs in conjunction with NASA, connections among diabetes and chronic pancreatitis and pancreatic cancer, and the genetic underpinnings of disease, exploiting the potential of stem cells, leveraging nanotechnology, parsing big data, and assessing how gender and metabolism impact health. During the last six years, Cedars-Sinai has more than doubled its federal awards. Cedars-Sinai’s FY24 federal awards totaled $158 million, with 2,300 publications and 2,200 active research projects. Cedars-Sinai is ranked 10th among non-university hospitals that receive NIH funding.

Cedars-Sinai is home to 19 academic departments, with faculty in anesthesiology, biomedical sciences, cardiac surgery, cardiology, computational biomedicine, emergency medicine, imaging, medicine, neurology, neurosurgery, obstetrics and gynecology, orthopaedics, pathology and laboratory medicine, pediatrics, physical medicine and rehabilitation, psychiatry and behavioral neurosciences, radiation oncology, surgery, and urology. The organization also has five broad based, interdisciplinary institutes, with the Smidt Heart Institute, the Samuel Oschin Comprehensive Cancer Institute, the Board of Governors Regenerative Medicine Institute, the Geri and Richard Brawerman Nursing Institute, and the Women’s Guild Lung Institute. There are five research institutes: the Biomedical Imaging Research Institute, the Advanced Clinical Biosystems Research Institute, the Inflammatory Bowel and Immunobiology Research Institute, the Maxine Dunitz Neurosurgical Institute, and the Diabetes and Obesity Research Institute.

The recently established Department of Computational Biomedicine is dedicated to cutting-edge informatics and computational sciences that can be applied to advance healthcare at Cedars-Sinai and beyond. The Department will advance the use of artificial intelligence and other methodologies for data analysis, including a focus on patient derived information, in addition to providing informatics support to the greater translational focused research community across the institution.

Empowering Education

Cedars-Sinai’s robust academic enterprise shapes the experts who will help redefine medicine for the next generation. Cedars-Sinai has a fully accredited Graduate School offering PhD and MS programs as a degree-granting institution. As one of the leading independent academic medical centers in the country, Cedars-Sinai has a legacy of providing the most competitive graduate medical education programs, including 15 residency and 89 fellowship programs. Over 837 medical student rotations from around the country are completed at Cedars-Sinai each year. Cedars-Sinai offers its over 450 residents and fellows exposure to a wide range of procedures and populations in highly advanced facilities with state-of-the-art equipment and cutting-edge new technologies.

The institution boasts five major training grants from NIH, including four postdoctoral programs focused on heart, lung, endocrinology, and inflammatory diseases. With regard to the degree-granting programs, Cedars-Sinai is home to an NIGMS-NIH T32 titled, “Graduate Program in Biomedical and Translational Sciences.” A total of 42 candidates are currently enrolled in our Biomedical and Translational Sciences (BTS) PhD program, which is supported by substantial commitments by Cedars-Sinai. This program offers a unique, well-structured experience in translational research and exposure to clinical practice relevant to the student’s dissertation research. Importantly, the BTS PhD program at Cedars-Sinai has had proven success with the recruitment of underrepresented minorities into the graduate program (25% of total enrolled PhD students over 12 years). Additionally, Cedars-Sinai offers master’s degree programs, including in Magnetic Resonance Imaging and in Health Delivery Science.

Community Engagement

Cedars-Sinai fulfills its vital mission to the community by investing in programs and services to improve the health status of the community. The institution works closely with schools, Federally Qualified Health Centers, local government, senior centers and other agencies to improve community health, better meet community needs, and to expand the capacity of other organizations to serve those who are most vulnerable. Cedars-Sinai devoted over $1,030,603,000 in total community benefit spending through a variety of programs in FY23.

Founded by the Jewish community, Cedars-Sinai began in 1902 as a 12-bed hospital in the Angelino Heights

neighborhood of Los Angeles. Today, Cedars-Sinai serves more than 1 million people each year in over 40 locations.

The Position

The Chair is a clinical leader who oversees innovation and the highest clinical care across Cedars-Sinai. The Chair provides strategic, operational and fiscal oversight for the administration, clinical, research, and education agendas and programs within the Imaging Department. The Chair will further cultivate a culture of innovation and collaboration which defines a strategic research vision for Imaging in the spirit of Cedars-Sinai’s interdisciplinary research environment. They will be expected to actively support and promote patient safety, continuous performance and quality improvement, risk management, and efficient resource utilization, all linked to evidence-based medicine. They will attract, mentor, and develop both clinical and research-focused physicians across Cedars- Sinai, fostering excellence in patient care, teaching, and scholarship. In addition, they have operational oversight for the residency and fellowship programs within Imaging and drive coordination and collaboration to ensure excellent clinical care. They will demonstrate responsiveness to the concerns and needs of the faculty and medical staff and provide mentorship and guidance to junior faculty members to ensure a strong and robust department.

The Chair is responsible for actively leading the integration and coordination of services between Imaging and other departments and service lines within Cedars-Sinai. They are responsible for leading programmatic activities which support Cedars-Sinai mission of quality patient care, research, education and training, and community services. The Chair provides overall coordination and supervision of the delivery and quality of medical care including care provided by medical staff, faculty, residents, and fellows, and for the overseeing and directing the provision and continuous performance improvement of those services.

Jointly reporting to the Executive Vice President, Medicine and Health Sciences and Dean of the Medical Faculty (for academic and research issues) and the Executive Vice President and Chief Operating Officer, Cedars-Sinai Medical Center (for operational and quality issues), the Chair will be engaged by Cedars-Sinai as a member of the full-time faculty. The Chair will oversee all department clinical services and recruitment decisions as well as all research and education within the Department.

Responsibilities

Leadership, Administrative and Operational

•          In collaboration with the leadership of Cedars-Sinai, define the mission and establish the strategic direction for Imaging, ensuring the necessary financial and human resources to achieve the agreed upon objectives.
•          Provide the vision and leadership to achieve superior clinical programs within Imaging disciplines; work with the leadership at Cedars-Sinai to build and grow areas of acknowledged clinical excellence and lead development and implementation of cutting-edge imaging services.
•          Define and lead the Department’s research strategy; support principal faculty within the Department in efforts to secure NIH and other grant funding as needed to support research priorities; lead the Department in all its academic endeavors, developing and enhancing programs, services, and scientific/clinical investigations.
•          Ensure that excellent clinical education and advanced training is delivered to the medical students, residents, and fellows; provide leadership and oversight to the residency and fellowship programs within the Department.
•          Supervise, prepare, implement, and monitor the Department budget that encompasses all funding sources and ensures compliance with grant, legislative, and institutional guidelines; effectively work to manage limited resources in collaboration with others.
•          Ensure the retention and hiring of key faculty and medical staff and lead the ongoing recruitment of world class physicians committed to teaching, research, and clinical service; ensure an atmosphere of support and development.
•          Participate in relevant leadership meetings and communicate key information and initiatives within Imaging to leadership.
•          Encourage ethical medical and financial practice and support compliance activities as necessary.
•          Ensure compliance with State and federal laws, accreditation, professional, and regulatory agency standards including quality assurance and licensure requirements within the Department of Imaging and the Service Line; establish and maintain a quality assurance program acceptable to Cedars-Sinai as required by The Joint Commission, State, and other agencies, which includes a review of the quality, safety, and appropriateness of services rendered.
•          Provide the vision and leadership to achieve superior clinical programs and lead business development of Imaging at Cedars-Sinai.   

Academic and Teaching

•          Lead the growth and enhancement of residency and fellowship training programs in the Department of Imaging. Develop, implement, and monitor training programs in accordance with the strategic plan, mission, and goals.
•          Assume ultimate responsibility for resident and student teaching programs: setting standards for education, maintaining the continuity and quality of teaching; providing developmental opportunities for faculty and attending staff participation in teaching rounds, conferences and advisory sessions.
•          Oversee the development and implementation of continuing educational opportunities for Department's medical and professional staff.

Medical Staff

•          Responsible for carrying out all the duties of Department Chair as outlined in the Constitution and Rules and Regulations of the Medical Staff.
•          Monitor and evaluate staffing to ensure a sufficient number of qualified and competent physicians to provide care and services are available.
•          Monitor the professional performance of all individuals who have delineated clinical privileges in the Department. 
•          Recommend to the medical staff both the criteria for clinical privileges and physicians to be granted clinical privileges within the Department.
•          Recommend promotion or discipline of medical staff, as appropriate.
•          Responsible for overseeing the response to any complaints or grievances by or against the Department medical staff.

Research

•          Define and execute a strategic research vision for Imaging to elevate research distinction, visibility, and impact at the national and international level.
•          Drive scholarly excellence and oversee Imaging research activities; institute effective mechanisms for monitoring, evaluating and accelerating faculty research productivity, scholarly output and the growth of competitive extramural funding.
•          Engage in quality research activity that supports the strategic plan and mission.
•          Advance research in Imaging while creating strong, credible, and collaborative relationships with other faculty and scientists across other departments.

Resource and Quality Management 

•          Contribute to the development, implementation, and maintenance of customer satisfaction programs, including ensuring an appropriate response to complaints of patients and/or medical staff.
•          Recommend and participate in the development and implementation of clinical protocols/pathways as determined by institutional quality and resource management protocols.
•          Provide leadership to Imaging clinical quality committees and relevant committees.
•  

Ideal Experience

•          A track record of personal academic accomplishments and credentials within Radiology; the experience, international reputation, and stature necessary to ensure the continuation and enhancement of the clinical, educational, and research missions.
•          Exceptional clinical and research achievement with a strong track record of publication and competitive extramural funding.
•          Significant, successful administrative and leadership experience at an academic healthcare system such as a division chief, vice chair or chair of imaging department.
•          Success with building research programs and investing in new areas of research.
•          Experience developing academic leaders and a reputation for mentorship and development of junior faculty; demonstrated ability to identify and recruit a diverse medical staff at all levels.
•          Politically astute and able to work well with people at all levels; a reputation as a consensus builder and someone who can resolve conflict for the betterment of an organization.
•          Demonstrated managerial and business acumen; experience in and demonstrated knowledge of the complex financial pressures facing health systems and healthcare delivery organizations today.
•          Experience with managing growth, health outcomes initiatives, and the innovative enhancement of residency training programs will be highly desirable.  
•          A demonstrated commitment to ensuring faculty and staff represent a number and training and other backgrounds.

Minimum Requirements

•          Medical Degree from an accredited medical school
•          American Board Certification in Radiology
•          Unrestricted California license as a Physician
•          Cedars-Sinai Medical Center and Cedars Sinai Medical Care Foundation Medical Staff Membership
•          A published author of peer reviewed articles, with ability to serve as principal or co-investigator.
•          Appointment to the appropriate academic rank in the Cedars-Sinai Professorial Series.
•          Leadership skills as characterized by one who has integrity and possesses broad vision of the future of the healthcare industry; assertiveness in the presentation and effectiveness in selling of ideas, yet a maturity and sensitivity to the values and expectations of a superb medical staff, trustees, management, employees, patients, and other key constituents of Cedars-Sinai.
•          Demonstrated skills in the selection, motivation, development, evaluation, recognition and retention of competent staff.
•          Commitment to developing and fostering a multidisciplinary collaborative approach to patient care.
•          Demonstrated competence in continuous quality improvement processes including experience in measuring, assessing and improving the performance of service and processes in a large, complex medical center.
•          Evidence of exceptional academic, clinical, professional, and administrative accomplishment.
•          Demonstrated business and financial management skills, including effective expense reduction, utilization management, budget control and revenue generation.

Compensation Range

We offer competitive total compensation that includes pay, benefits, and other incentive programs for our employees. The total pay range shown considers the wide range of factors that are considered in making compensation decisions including knowledge/skills; relevant experience and training; education/ certifications/licensure; and other business and organizational factors. This total pay range includes any incentive payments that may be applicable to this role. We also offer a comprehensive faculty benefits package. The total compensation range listed is a good faith determination of potential compensation at the time of this job advertisement and may be modified in the future.

Total Cash Compensation Range: $900,000 - $1,040,000

We invite interested candidates to apply at the link below by submitting a CV and cover letter addressed to the search committee co-chairs Joanna Chikwe, MD, FRCS, Chair, Department of Cardiac Surgery and Shervin Rabizadeh, MD, MBA, Chair, Department of Pediatrics.

https://careers.cshs.org/job/los-angeles/chair-department-of-imaging/252/88556594928