Director of Research – Cybersecurity

Location: Santa Clara, California, United States

Job ID: R0147108

Date Posted: 2026-10-05

Company Name: HITACHI AMERICA, LTD.

Profession (Job Category): Engineering & Science

Job Schedule: Full time

Remote: No

Job Description: Title: Director of Research – Cybersecurity

Company: Hitachi America Ltd.

Division: Research and Development

Location: Remote within the US

Status: Regular, Full Time

The Company

About Hitachi America, Ltd. Hitachi America, Ltd. is the regional headquarters for Hitachi Group companies in the Americas, overseeing the U.S., Canada, and Latin America markets. Headquartered in Santa Clara, California, Hitachi Americas has been deeply committed to its Social Innovation Business since its establishment in 1959, addressing society's most pressing challenges through innovative solutions. Leveraging its expertise and resources, Hitachi Americas and its subsidiary companies operate across diverse sectors, including transportation, energy, mobility, industrial manufacturing, healthcare, digital engineering, data analytics and others. Driven by Digital, Green, and Innovation, Hitachi Americas remains at the forefront of pioneering solutions that shape the future. For further details, please visit https://www.hitachi.us/.

About Hitachi, Ltd. Through its Social Innovation Business (SIB) that brings together IT, OT (Operational Technology) and products, Hitachi aims to be a global leader in continuously transforming social infrastructure through digital, contributing to a harmonized society where the environment, wellbeing, and economic growth are in balance. Hitachi operates worldwide across four sectors – Digital Systems & Services, Energy, Mobility, and Connective Industries – as well as a Strategic SIB Business Unit focused on new growth areas. With Lumada at its core, Hitachi creates value by combining data, technology and domain knowledge to solve customer and social challenges. Revenues for FY2025 (ended March 31, 2026) totaled 10,586.7 billion yen, with 606 consolidated subsidiaries and approximately 290,000 employees worldwide. Visit us at www.hitachi.com.

Summary The Director of Research will serve as the primary liaison between Hitachi's global Research & Development organization and industry partners, government agencies, academic institutions, consortia, and standards bodies across the United States and the Americas. This position reports to the Director of the Hitachi America R&D Security Innovation Lab.

As a member of the Security Innovation Lab, the Director of Research will contribute to the intellectual leadership that informs Hitachi's business, product, and social initiatives. Leveraging a deep understanding of emerging cybersecurity trends and regional security challenges, the individual will help guide strategic decision-making and innovation across the organization.

The Director will have two primary areas of focus:

1. Represent Hitachi's interests by actively participating in and contributing to selected emerging cybersecurity initiatives, research programs, industry collaborations, and related projects.

2. Engage and communicate regularly with headquarters and regional R&D and cybersecurity teams, including senior executives, to provide strategic insights, status updates, and analysis on key projects, emerging trends, and cybersecurity-related topics.

Topics may include a wide range of interactions with regulatory and other government bodies, analysis of technical and political trends, membership in consortia and standards bodies, and attention to other areas that may affect the company.

The successful candidate will be a strategic senior subject matter expert with the ability to operate independently across day-to-day activities and long-range planning initiatives. Responsibilities include influencing strategy and policy development, providing expert guidance on emerging issues, and potentially leading and managing a team.

Core competencies for this role include deep technical expertise, knowledge of cybersecurity best practices, strategic planning, relationship management, leadership, effective communication, and the ability to gather, analyze, and synthesize complex information. The successful candidate will be skilled at leading cross-functional teams and building productive relationships with both internal and external stakeholders.

Representing Hitachi as a thought leader is a significant aspect of this position. The Director will be expected to deliver presentations at industry events, conferences, and internal forums, demonstrating both individual expertise and Hitachi's leadership in cybersecurity and innovation. The role also requires the preparation of periodic reports and the semiannual compilation of research findings, analyses, and supporting materials in accordance with Hitachi R&D practices.

As with all regional R&D roles at Hitachi, effective collaboration with colleagues in Japan is essential. Success in this role requires strong cross-cultural communication skills and a commitment to understanding Japanese business practices and cultural norms. This cultural awareness is critical for fostering productive relationships, preventing misunderstandings, and supporting Hitachi's global business objectives.

Job Responsibilities

• Identify promising areas of emerging cybersecurity innovation and research.

• Provide expertise in key research areas to R&D and Hitachi businesses and act as a resource for diverse internal and external audiences

• Participate in teams for projects, consortia, working groups and similar as identified by research sponsors, R&D and Hitachi management.

• Enhance Hitachi’s reputation as a cybersecurity and industrial technology innovator

• Publicize Hitachi research and innovations, potentially including internal and external presentations, authoring research papers, posting on social media, interviews, sitting on/moderating expert panels, etc.

• Delivering research work products as agreed. Typically these include

  • A monthly report of research activity and news areas of interest
  • A twice-annual compilation of research materials and findings for delivery to the research sponsor.
  • Participation in previously agreed activities such as conferences, workgroups, etc.

• Participating in Security Innovation Lab, HAL R&D, Hitachi R&D, and Hitachi Ltd. activities and providing expertise as needed

Requirements

• Bachelor’s degree required with study of a related technical field; masters or PhD preferred. Work experience may substitute for specific academic credentials.

• 12+ years of professional work experience in cybersecurity (or a related field) with at least 5 years in a management, policy, or senior technical position.

• Existing network of cybersecurity and industry contacts.

• Strong cybersecurity and technical background with an understanding of the broad range of adjacent political and social issues.

Our Values We are proud to say we are an equal opportunity employer and welcome all applicants for employment without attention to any factor that doesn’t impact your ability to do the job, including race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, veteran or disability status. We are proud of Japanese heritage, with our values expressed through the Hitachi Spirit:

Wa – Harmony, Trust, Respect

Makoto – Sincerity, Fairness, Honesty, Integrity

Kaitakusha-Seishin – Pioneering Spirit, Challenge

A good faith estimate of the expected salary for this position that the employer reasonably expects to pay for the position upon hire is $167,300 -$200,000 annually. Pay is determined on a variety of factors including, but not limited to location, depth of experience in the practice area, and relevant education and training. Employees are eligible to participate in Hitachi America’s variable pay program, subject to the program’s conditions and restrictions. Benefits include Medical, dental, vision, 401(k), vacation, paid sick days and other company-sponsored benefits.

Equal Opportunity Employer (EOE)-Females/Minorities/Protected Veterans/Individuals with Disabilities

If you need a reasonable accommodation to apply for a job at Hitachi, please send the nature of request and contact information to accommodation@hal.hitachi.com. Queries other than accommodation requests will not be responded to.