Chair, Department of Radiation Oncology

Opportunity

Cedars-Sinai Health System seeks a collaborative and strategic leader to serve as the next Department of Radiation

Oncology Chair. 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, operational and fiscal oversight. The chair manages all aspects of the department, including administrative, clinical, research, and educational initiatives, managing a complex departmental budget, optimizing throughput at satellite locations, and ensuring revenue growth through efficient resource utilization and business development.
• Clinical innovation and subspecialized expertise. The chair ensures the continuous evolution of clinical practice, driving the adoption and integration of next-generation therapeutic modalities and imaging technologies that redefine the standard of care for complex and rare pathologies and positions the department at the forefront of precision medicine.
• Patient care and quality improvement. A key focus is on ensuring excellent patient care. The chair will uphold prestigious APEx accreditation through quality standards by fostering a proactive culture of multidisciplinary peer-review, patient safety, quality improvement, and risk management by linking them to evidence-based medicine.
• Research distinction and extramural funding. The chair will define a strategic research vision that accelerates scholarly output, enhances clinical trial enrollment, increases extra-mural and federal award funding, and translates laboratory discoveries into investigator-initiated clinical trials.
• Education and training. The chair will also have operational oversight of training programs, ensuring excellence in training and education leading the delivery of premier graduate medical education and residency training.
• Faculty mentorship and development. The chair is responsible for attracting, mentoring, and developing both clinical and research-focused faculty. They provide guidance to junior faculty members to create a strong, robust department.
• Multidisciplinary collaboration. The chair is the primary driver in integrating and coordinating radiation oncology services across departments and service lines to provide seamless, evidence-based care within the Samuel Oschin Comprehensive Cancer Institute.

Cedars-Sinai Radiation Oncology

As a cornerstone of Cedars-Sinai Cancer, the Department of Radiation Oncology is a hub of clinical innovation and compassionate care in the heart of Los Angeles. The department serves a diverse patient population, offering the Chair an opportunity to lead a multidisciplinary team of world-renowned radiation oncologists, physicists, and researchers. The incoming Chair will assume leadership of a department with a thriving culture characterized by clinical excellence and multidisciplinary collaboration. Faculty work in close partnership with surgical and medical oncology colleagues to provide excellent integrated care.

Subspecialized Expertise

The Department of Radiation Oncology at Cedars-Sinai, which includes 28 faculty and 117 staff, is recognized for its high-volume, academic-driven approach, holding the prestigious APEx accreditation from the American Society for Radiation Oncology (ASTRO). Building on a foundation of ultra-precise technology and site-specific clinical mastery, our new chair will identify areas of clinical excellence and implement cutting-edge services and technologies.

Innovation and Research

The Department of Radiation Oncology at Cedars-Sinai is committed to redefining the standard of care through the development of next-generation imaging and therapeutic modalities. By integrating cutting-edge research across our Divisions of Medical Physics and Radiation Biology, we aim to enhance therapeutic efficacy while minimizing off-target toxicity. Our program leverages AI-driven computational models and precision medicine frameworks to translate laboratory discoveries into investigator-initiated clinical trials, ensuring that advanced, site-specific therapies are delivered with unprecedented accuracy and biological optimized dosing.

• For Fiscal Year 2025 (FY25), the department successfully enrolled 37 patients into clinical protocols led by Radiation Oncology Principal Investigators.
• The program maintains an active portfolio of investigator-initiated and cooperative group trials, spanning diverse disease sites including genitourinary (GU), head and neck, lymphoma, and myeloma.
• Research efforts remain centered on the advancement of biomarker-driven precision medicine and therapeutic de-intensification strategies aimed at optimizing patient survival and quality of life.

The department has an excellent track record of external funding and academic productivity. Reflecting a robust commitment to academic dissemination, we aim to continue our upward trajectory in research quality and output. Our FY25 academic accomplishments include:

• Federal Award Funding: $2,524,117
• Total Award Funding: $3,012,117
• In FY25, our department has produced 42 total publications, reflecting a robust commitment to academic dissemination.
• Our program has demonstrated an upward trajectory in research quality, with 21 publications appearing in journals with an Impact Factor (IF) greater than 10—an increase from the 20 high-impact publications recorded in FY24.
• Faculty have achieved consistent placement in top-tier medical literature, including multiple contributions to the Journal of Clinical Oncology.

Quality

The Department of Radiation Oncology at Cedars-Sinai upholds a rigorous commitment to patient safety and therapeutic excellence, underscored by its prestigious APEx (Accreditation Program for Excellence) designation from the American Society for Radiation Oncology (ASTRO). This accreditation validates the department’s adherence to over 200 stringent quality standards, encompassing exhaustive staff training, rigorous equipment maintenance, and standardized clinical documentation. To operationalize a proactive culture of safety, the department has implemented more than 60 specialized policies designed to ensure that every patient receives a personalized, evidence-based treatment plan verified through multidisciplinary peer-review protocols. By integrating sophisticated image-guided technologies and continuous real-time monitoring, the clinical team—comprising radiation oncologists, medical physicists, and therapists—ensures the precise delivery of radiation while meticulously sparing adjacent healthy tissue. This systematic approach to quality assurance is reflected in the department's high clinical benchmarks and superior patient satisfaction ratings.

Locations

• Main Campus Capital Enhancements: A significant expansion of the main campus is scheduled for completion in 2028, which will introduce a fourth treatment vault, a new linear accelerator, and an MR simulator. This expansion further includes augmented examination facilities and a dedicated inpatient holding suite to enhance clinical workflow.
• Throughput Optimization (Tarzana): The Tarzana site is currently under evaluation for expansion to mitigate throughput bottlenecks following a substantial increase in patient volume, which rose from approximately 15 daily encounters in 2021 to over 40 per day in 2025.
• Regional Integration (Huntington Hospital): The modernization program at Huntington Hospital involves the planned implementation of a Varian TrueBeam platform, with a projected clinical 'go-live' date in 2026.

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: Excellence, Integrity, Diversity, Equity & Inclusion, Respect, Compassion, Teamwork, Innovation, Accessibility, Affordability, Stewardship.

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. Regarding 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 Radiation Oncology Department. The Chair will further cultivate a culture of innovation and collaboration which defines a strategic research vision for Radiation Oncology 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 training programs within Radiation Oncology 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 Radiation Oncology 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), Executive Vice President of Clinical Affairs and Chief Medical Officer (for quality issues) and the Executive Vice President and Chief Operating Officer, Cedars-Sinai Medical Center (for operational 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, develop and implement organizational and service line strategic and operational plans. Implement and continuously update the strategic plan for the Department of Radiation Oncology. Develop plans, policies, goals, programs, and budgets to achieve the objectives of the department and fulfill the mission of Cedars-Sinai.
• Ensure service line profitability through revenue and expense management, development and expansion and contracting of programs and services. Improve the competitive position and market share of the service line by initiating business development activities and implementing viable programs and services.
• Ensure appropriate provision of resources to provide services, including management of the appropriate levels, qualifications, development and experience of the staff. Organize and direct the department’s professional, administrative and medical staff, maintaining and enhancing the support of attending staff and ensuring administrative coordination with other departmental leaders.
• Oversee goal setting and monitoring of performance improvement activities within the department.
• Actively participate in the integration and coordination of services throughout Cedars-Sinai by aligning operational or cost elements for inpatient and outpatient facilities, staff and other resources, coordinating and integrating interdepartmental and intradepartmental services, etc.
• In collaboration with the leadership of Cedars-Sinai, define the mission and establish the strategic direction for Radiation Oncology, ensuring the necessary financial and human resources to achieve the agreed upon objectives.
• Provide the vision and leadership to achieve superior clinical programs; work with the leadership at Cedars-Sinai to build and grow areas of acknowledged clinical excellence and lead development and implementation of cutting-edge 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 and residents; provide leadership and oversight to the training 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 Radiation Oncology to leadership.
• Encourage ethical medical and financial practice and support compliance activities as necessary.
• Develop and maintain positive relationships with external fundraising organizations and develop priorities for allocation of development funds. Develop new fundraising projects.
• Oversee the development, implementation and monitoring of policies and procedures that guide and support the provision of services for all administrative and clinical functions of the department.
• Ensure compliance with State and federal laws, accreditation, professional, and regulatory agency standards including quality assurance and licensure requirements within the Department Radiation Oncology; 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.

Academic and Teaching

• Develop, implement, and monitor training programs in accordance with the Cedars-Sinai strategic plan, mission, and goals, ensuring the delivery of excellent clinical education and advanced training.
• 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.
• Where applicable, maintains a full and unconditional ACGME accreditation for the Department’s residency program, as well as other training program standards as determined by the Medical Center.

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 enough 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.
• Oversee the response to any complaints or grievances by or against the department medical staff.

Research

• Define and execute a strategic research vision for Radiation Oncology to elevate research distinction, visibility, and impact at the national and international level.
• Drive scholarly excellence and oversee Radiation Oncology 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 Cedars-Sinai strategic plan and mission.
• Advance research in Radiation Oncology 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 Radiation Oncology clinical quality committees and relevant committees.

  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: $1,000,000 - $1,400,000

  We invite interested candidates to apply by April 13, 2026 by submitting a CV and cover letter addressed to the search committee chair C. Noel Bairey Merz MD, MACC, FAHA, FESC, Director, Barbra Streisand Women’s Heart Center, Smidt Heart Institute.

Ideal Experience

• A track record of personal academic accomplishments and credentials within Radiation Oncology; 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 a radiation oncology 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 of training and other backgrounds.

Minimum Requirements

• Medical Degree from an accredited medical school
• American Board Certification in Radiation Oncology
• Unrestricted California medical 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 skilled 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.