Senior BioTechnology Manager (m/w/d) - (HEU) Home Based Germany | Hitachi Job

Location:

Remote - Düsseldorf, Germany

Job ID:

R0144094

Date Posted:

2026-09-21

Company Name:

HITACHI EUROPE GMBH (GERMANY)

Profession (Job Category):

Engineering & Science

Job Schedule: 

Full time

Remote:

No

Job Description:

Job Description in English language

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.

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