Chief Diagnostic Medical Physicist & Imaging Director

Northwestern Medicine group; Chicago (IL); On-site; USD 171,000 - 245,000; Full time

Job summary

Northwestern Medicine seeks a Manager and Chief of Diagnostic Medical Physics to lead clinical physics across NMHC imaging operations, including radiography, CT, MRI, ultrasound, nuclear medicine, and mammography. You will direct a team of physicists and ensure high-quality, compliant imaging and resident education.

The role requires strategic leadership, CAMPEP-aligned residency oversight, and collaboration with radiology leaders to optimize protocols and patient dosimetry, while maintaining

Qualifications

• Master of Science degree in Medical Physics or related field.
• Licensure with IEMA-OHS and DIS designation within 3 months of hire.
• Board certification by ABR or ABMP in Diagnostic Medical Physics.
• Minimum 5 years of clinical diagnostic medical physics experience.

Responsibilities

• Oversee DMP personnel, provide training and mentorship.
• Manage daily operations, finances, and HR for DMP.
• Develop and maintain DMP policies and procedures.
• Balance physicist portfolios and staffing for workload balance.
• Ensure compliance, safety, and regulatory standards across imaging modalities.
• Oversee DMP Residency program accreditation and education.
• Collaborate with modality leaders to optimize protocols and dosimetry.
• Coordinate with construction teams for renovations and future planning.
• Maintain clinical practice as a diagnostic medical physicist for site planning and inspections.
• Partner with Radiation Safety Officer for coordinated safety protocols.

Skills

Leadership

Mentorship

Project management

Communication

Education

Master of Science in Medical Physics

Job description

Manager and Chief-Diagnostic Medical Physics

• Full-time
• Hours Per Week / FTE: 40 hrs/wk - 1.0 FTE
• Salary Range Minimum : $124.03
• Salary Range Maximum: $178.60
• Compensation: USD 124.03 - USD 178.6 - hourly

TheManager and Chief, Diagnostic Medical Physicsreflects the mission, vision, and values of NM, adheres to the organization’s Code of Ethics and Corporate Compliance Program, and complies with all relevant policies, procedures, guidelines, and all other regulatory and accreditation standards.

The Manager and Chief, Diagnostic Medical Physics provides strategic, operational, and technical leadership for Diagnostic Medical Physics services across NMHC, supporting all hospitals and outpatient imaging centers. The Manager/Chief oversees a team of diagnostic medical physicists & physics assistants and supports all imaging modalities—including radiography, fluoroscopy, CT, MRI, ultrasound, nuclear medicine, and mammography—ensuring compliance, quality, and safety across all imaging operations. The Manager also directs the Diagnostic Medical Physics Residency Program, maintaining accreditation, supporting resident education, and fostering workforce development.

Under the direction of the System Director, and in partnership with each NMHC diagnostic imaging and image-guided procedural leader, this position ensures the highest standards of image quality, patient and staff radiation safety, regulatory compliance, and physicist performance for all NMHC imaging and procedural departments.

Responsibilities

• Oversee and provide support, training, and mentorship to DMP personnel and NMHC medical trainees. Ensure appropriate competencies
• Manage daily operations, finances, and HR matters for DMP
• Develop and maintain policies and procedures for DMP services
• Continuously balance physicist portfolios and staffing to ensure appropriate time allocation and work-effort bandwidth
• Ensure the highest level of technical quality, accreditation, and regulatory compliance for Radiography, Mammography, Fluoroscopy, Ultrasound, CT, MRI, and Nuclear Medicine.
• Provide management oversight of MRI Safety Committee, in partnership with technical leadership in the Department of Radiology
• Provide management oversight of DMP Residency program, including recruitment, curriculum development, evaluation, professional development, and compliance with CAMPEP accreditation standards, all in partnership with DMP Residency Program Director.
• Partner with modality technical leaders and Information Services to optimize imaging protocols and patient dosimetry, as well as technology adoption
• Coordinate with Planning & Construction teams to streamline DMP involvement for renovations, new construction, and future planning
• Maintain active clinical practice as a Diagnostic Medical Physicist, providing expert-support for site planning, shielding design, routine physics testing, patient dosimetry, accreditation submissions, and regulatory inspections
• Collaborate with Radiation Safety Officer and Health Physics department to ensure coordinated radiation safety protocols for staff and patients
• Participate in the systemwide NMHC Radiation Safety Committee

Required:

• Education:
  • Master of Science degree (or higher) in Medical Physics or a related field
• Licensure:
  • Registered OR eligible for registration as a Diagnostic Imaging Specialist with the Illinois Emergency Management Agency and Office of Homeland Security (IEMA-OHS), inclusive of Mammography
  • Must obtain DIS designation through IEMA-OHS within 3 months of hire
• Certification:
  • Board certified by American Board of Radiology (ABR) or American Board of Medical Physics (ABMP) in Diagnostic Medical Physics or in previous medical physics certification categories
• Experience:
  • Minimum 5 years of clinical diagnostic medical physics experience in a complex healthcare environment

Preferred:

• Successful completion of a CAMPEP-accredited Medical Physics residency program
• Demonstrated leadership experience supervising professional staff and leading complex projects
• Proven experience supporting or managing multi-site or enterprise-level medical physics programs
• Advanced expertise in patient dose estimation, optimization strategies, and radiation risk assessment
• Experience providing leadership, mentorship, or instructional support within a CAMPEP-accredited Diagnostic Medical Physics residency program
• Strong written, verbal, analytical, and presentation skills, with a track record of effective project management

Northwestern Medicine is an equal opportunity employer (disability, VETS) and does not discriminate in hiring or employment on the basis of age, sex, race, color, religion, national origin, gender identity, veteran status, disability, sexual orientation or any other protected status.

Northwestern Medicine conducts a background check that includes criminal history on newly hired team members and, at times, internal transfers. If you are offered a position with us, you will be required to complete an authorization and disclosure form that gives Northwestern Medicine permission to run the background check. Results are evaluated on a case-by-case basis, and we follow all local, state, and federal laws, including the Illinois Health Care Worker Background Check Act.

Artificial Intelligence Disclosure

Artificial Intelligence (AI) tools may be used in some portions of the candidate review process for this position, however, all employment decisions will be made by a person.

We offer a wide range of benefits that provide employees with tools and resources to improve their physical, emotional, and financial well-being while providing protection for unexpected life events.

Please refer to the Benefits Eligibility by Employment Classification to determine benefits eligibility for job postings.

If sign-on bonus is included in a job posting eligibility is as followed: Internal employees and rehires who left Northwestern Medicine within 1 year are not eligible for the sign-on bonus. Exception: New graduate internal employees seeking their first licensed clinical position as a Registered Nurse at NM may be eligible.

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