Senior BioTechnology Manager (m/w/d)

Hitachi · Düsseldorf

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Through its Social Innovation Business that brings together IT, OT(Operational Technology) and products, Hitachi contributes to a harmonized society where the environment, wellbeing, and economic growth are in balance. Hitachi operates globally in four sectors – Digital Systems & Services, Energy, Mobility, and Connective Industries – and the Strategic SIB Business Unit for new growth businesses. With Lumada at its core, Hitachi generates value from integrating data, technology and domain knowledge to solve customer and social challenges. Revenues for FY2024 (ended March 31, 2025) totaled 9,783.3 billion yen, with 618 consolidated subsidiaries and approximately 280,000 employees worldwide. Visit us at www.hitachi.com.

To strengthen our scientific research, technology development, and process validation for Biological Methanation, BioCatalyst, and Power-to-Methane solutions, we are currently looking for a

Senior BioTechnology Manager (m/w/d)

Role Purpose

Lead the scientific and technological development of Hitachi’s biological methanation activities with primary focus on research, laboratory and pilot validation, BioCatalyst performance, process optimization and technology readiness. The role supports Hitachi Power Solutions, Japan-based business units and Hitachi Europe by translating experimental evidence, process data and third-party research into robust technical solutions, while providing scientifically grounded assessments of new business ideas, project concepts and technology partnerships.

Your Responsibilities:

Methanation Technology and R&D Execution

• Lead applied R&D activities for biological methanation, including bioreactor performance, gas-liquid mass transfer, microbial stability, nutrient strategy, process-control logic and operating-window definition.

• Plan and coordinate laboratory, bench-scale and pilot-scale experiments, including hypotheses, protocols, data capture, safety requirements, validation criteria and technical reporting.

• Evaluate BioCatalyst performance under variable CO2, H2, temperature, pressure, impurity, load-following and start-stop conditions relevant to industrial deployment.

• Translate experimental results into design recommendations, operational limits, scale-up assumptions and technology-readiness evidence for Hitachi decision makers.

Pilot Project and Process Validation

• Provide scientific and technical support for Osaki CoolGen and related pilot activities, from process design review to commissioning support, performance analysis and operation optimization.

• Assess methanation process parameters, gas quality, reactor integration, digital monitoring, control philosophy and interfaces with hydrogen, CO2 supply, heat management and gas-grid infrastructure.

• Define corrective actions and continuous-improvement measures based on process data, laboratory findings, root-cause analysis, supplier documentation and operating experience.

• Document lessons learned and convert them into reusable technical standards, validation protocols, operating guidance and knowledge-transfer material.

Technological Assessments, Internal and Third-Party Research Collaboration

• Coordinate research activities with Hitachi laboratories, Hitachi Power Solutions, universities, research institutes, suppliers, EPC partners and specialized biotechnology organizations.

• Define joint research objectives, work packages, test plans, data-sharing principles, publication boundaries and intellectual-property interfaces in collaboration with legal and IP experts.

• Act as scientific interface for third-party studies, grant-funded R&D programs, prototype validation and analytical testing related to BioCatalyst and methanation process improvement.

• Perform technical due diligence and feasibility assessment of project concepts, partner proposals, research ideas and emerging Power-to-Methane technologies. Assess technology maturity, scalability, integration complexity, laboratory requirements, IP relevance, safety implications and operational risks before business-development commitments are made.

Knowledge, IP and Technical Governance

• Maintain structured technical knowledge management for experiments, reports, design parameters, process limits, troubleshooting cases and technology-transfer documentation.

• Support patent and IP-related technical assessments with Hitachi Ltd., external IP lawyers and relevant business entities by providing scientific evidence and prior-art understanding.

• Prepare concise technical briefings for management, ensuring that scientific uncertainty, technical risks and development priorities are clearly communicated.

Cross-Cultural Stakeholder Collaboration

• Act as senior scientific liaison among Hitachi Europe, Hitachi Power Solutions, Japanese business units, research entities, suppliers and selected EMEA partners.

• Ensure disciplined information flow, clear technical requirements and culturally sensitive collaboration across Japan and Europe while keeping the role focused on scientific quality and execution.

Technology and Research Scope

Scientific and Technology focus

• Archaea-based biological conversion of CO2 and renewable H2 into methane, including BioCatalyst robustness, activity and reproducibility.

• Bioreactor operation, gas-liquid mass transfer, process control, impurity tolerance, nutrient management and thermal balance.

• Pilot validation, operating-window definition, load-following behavior, start-up/shutdown procedures and long-term stability testing.

• Scale-up of biological methanation solutions from laboratory and pilot systems toward modular and multi-MW industrial architectures.

Assessment and Collaboration focus

• Technical screening of business ideas, partner concepts and project opportunities before commercial prioritization.

• Internal research coordination with Hitachi laboratories and external collaboration with universities, institutes, suppliers and EPC partners.

• Scientific support for IP evaluation, patent discussions, data rooms, technical due diligence and third-party technology benchmarking.

• Preparation of technical evidence for management decisions, grant-funded R&D, technology-transfer packages and laboratory resource planning.

Your Profile & Offering:

Critical Success Factors

• Deep scientific command of biomethanation, microbial catalysis, anaerobic gas fermentation, process engineering and laboratory-to-pilot scale-up.

• Ability to convert experimental evidence into reliable design assumptions, risk assessments, performance targets and technology-roadmap decisions.

• Disciplined R&D project management, including experimental design, data integrity, safety, documentation quality and reproducible technical reporting.

• Strong collaboration capability across Japanese and European teams, with credibility in scientific discussions and practical judgment for industrial deployment.

Technical and Professional Skills

• PhD or equivalent scientific depth in biology, microbiology, biotechnology, biochemistry, chemistry, chemical engineering, biochemical engineering or process engineering.

• Proven experience in biotechnology or bio-process development, ideally involving bioreactors, gas conversion, microbial systems, anaerobic processes or methanogenic cultures.

• Strong understanding of experimental design, analytical methods, process modelling, scale-up logic, technology readiness levels, safety requirements and technical documentation.

• Capability to assess project concepts from a scientific and techno-economic perspective without leading the commercial business-development process.

• Digital competence in laboratory data management, experiment documentation, performance dashboards, AI-supported knowledge analysis and technical reporting.

Personal Profile - Qualification and Background of Job-holder

Dedicated biotechnology and methanation technology specialist with strong applied R&D experience, analytical discipline and hands-on capability in laboratory, pilot and technology-transfer environments. Combines scientific depth with practical industrial orientation, enabling Hitachi to evaluate, develop and validate biological methanation solutions for future renewable-gas applications.

Education

• PhD in biology, microbiology, biotechnology, biochemistry, chemistry, biochemical engineering, chemical engineering, process engineering or related fields.

• Continuous education in biological methanation, renewable gases, carbon management, process safety, intellectual property, laboratory governance or technology commercialization.

Professional Skills

• R&D planning, experimental protocol design, laboratory and pilot coordination, technical issue resolution and process validation.

• Scientific assessment of methanation technologies, third-party research proposals, partner concepts and internal project ideas.

• Technology-transfer support, technical documentation, supplier and research-partner coordination, and technical reporting to senior stakeholders.

• Structured collaboration across Japan, EMEA and global research ecosystems.

Language Skills

• English: professional working proficiency or higher.

• German: professional working proficiency or higher.

• Japanese or additional European languages: advantageous for scientific exchange and cross-regional collaboration.

Our Values

We strive to create an inclusive environment for all employees and we are proud to be an equal opportunity employer.

With Japanese roots dating back more than 100 years, our culture is based on our parent company's values, expressed in the Hitachi Spirit:

Wa - harmony, trust, respect

Makoto - sincerity, fairness, honesty, integrity

Kaitakusha-Seishin - pioneering spirit, challenge

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