Research Intern, Hardware Implementation and Validation (Energy Storage and Power Electronics)

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Title: Research Intern Hardware Implementation and Validation (Energy Storage and Power Electronics)

Company: Hitachi America

Division: R&D Strategic Solution Lab

Location: Santa Clara CA

Status: Full time 3-6 month internship

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 societys 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 its Social Innovation Business (SIB) that brings together ITOT(Operational Technology)and products Hitachiaims to be a global leader in continuously transforming social infrastructure through digital contributingto a harmonized society where the environment wellbeing and economic growth are in acrossfour sectors Digital Systems & Services Energy Mobility and Connective Industries as well as aStrategic SIB Business Unitfocused onnew growthareas. With Lumada at its core Hitachicreatesvalueby combiningdatatechnologyand domain knowledgeto solve customer and social forFY2025(ended March 31 2026) totaled10586.7billion yen with 606 consolidated subsidiaries and approximately 290000 employees worldwide. Visit us at .

Summary

AI training and inference clusters produce large fast synchronized power swings. A single GPU rack can move more than half of its rated load in milliseconds and when hundreds of racks move together the effect reaches the facility boundary and the grid. We are developing a hybrid energy storage system for data centers to protect upstream infrastructure and increase usable capacity.

We are seeking a Research Intern (Hardware Implementation and Validation) to take this system from design to hardware. You will own the implementation and validation of the storage system and its controllers compare the designs predicted behavior against what the hardware actually does and feed the differences back into the design. Where the measurements show that the architecture sizing or control law needs to change you will propose and implement the change. This is a hands-on engineering role with a research component. Results are expected to be reported internally and where appropriate to feed conference publications and standards discussions.

Job Responsibilities

• Build commission and safely operate a bench-scale hybrid energy storage system (batteries supercapacitors bidirectional DC/DC converters common DC bus) with programmable loads and a real-time control platform.

• Implement power-split and energy management controllers on real-time hardware and evaluate candidate control strategies head-to-head under repeatable transient test profiles.

• Design and execute a validation campaign: define test cases from realistic load traces instrument the bench at the required time resolution and measure response time bus voltage deviation energy split and state-of-charge behavior.

• Compare measured results against simulation models identify where the models are incomplete (converter dynamics sensing and communication latency storage non idealities) and update them.

• Recommend and implement design updates to storage sizing converter control bandwidth and the interface between fast local control loops and the supervisory controller.

• Document hardware test procedures and findings so the work can be reproduced and extended.

• Communicate results via technical reports presentations and contributions to publications and patents as appropriate.
  

A Day in the Life

• Align with technical leads on build milestones test plans and success metrics.

• Work in the lab wiring commissioning and debugging converters storage modules and instrumentation.

• Deploy a control design from simulation to the real-time target and run it against transient test profiles.

• Analyze measurement data compare it with model predictions and propose the next design or model change.

• Present progress through demos written updates and research discussions.
  

Requirements

• Currently enrolled in a PhD program (preferred) or MS program in Electrical Engineering Power Engineering or a related field.

• Solid fundamentals in power systems and power electronics: DC/DC converter topologies and control DC bus dynamics and protection.

• Experience with battery and supercapacitor energy storage including electrical and thermal characteristics state-of-charge estimation and safe handling and testing practices.

• Experience with control of power converters or energy storage systems: classical loop design droop control and exposure to model predictive control or other optimization-based methods.

• Hands-on laboratory experience building commissioning and debugging kilowatt scale power hardware including use of oscilloscopes power analyzers and programmable loads or sources.

• Proficiency in MATLAB/Simulink and Python and the ability to move a control design from simulation to a real-time target.

• Strong communication skills and ability to collaborate across disciplines.
  

Preferred Qualifications

• Experience with real-time platforms such as Typhoon HIL dSPACE OPAL-RT Speedgoat or equivalent.

• Experience with hybrid energy storage systems (battery plus supercapacitor) or microgrid energy management.

• Familiarity with data center power distribution (UPS PDU 48 V and high-voltage DC rack buses) and relevant standards such as IEEE 1159 IEEE 1547 or OCP Open Rack specifications.

• Experience with hardware-in-the-loop validation and model calibration against measured data.

• Experience with embedded C or converter firmware.

• Track record of publications thesis work or applied prototypes in power electronics energy storage control or DC microgrids.
  

Why This Role

• Own a complete build measure and redesign loop on a system aimed at one of the fastest-growing power engineering problems in industry.

• Work in a purpose-built innovation lab with high-resolution power measurement and a full energy storage stack.

• Collaborate with a research-driven team spanning power hardware controls and machine learning with real deployment pathways.
  

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 doesnt 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

For California only (as required by Californias Pay Transparency for Pay Equity Act (SB 1162): A good faith estimate of the expected hourly pay rate for this position in our California office that the employer reasonably expects to pay for the position upon hire is $50-55/hr. Pay is determined based on a variety of factors including but not limited to depth of experience in the practice area. Employees are eligible to participate in Hitachi Americas variable pay program subject to the programs conditions and restrictions.

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 Queries other than accommodation requests will not be responded to.