SIIM considers JDI to be the premier journal for the science of imaging informatics, according to a post on the society's website announcing the position. Candidates for the job should have a general knowledge of the fields covered by the journal and be "skilled in the arts of writing, editing, critical assessment, negotiation, and diplomacy."

The editor in chief will establish policies at the journal, oversee the publication's mission and scope, and oversee the manuscript review process, according to the post. The position also involves outreach to authors, presiding at meetings of the editorial board and executive committee, and representing the board in negotiations with the journal's publisher.