Summary
We are seeking an experienced HR Business Partner to serve as the frontline HR leader for production managers and supervisors as our manufacturing operations scale. This role builds trust across the production floor to drive real improvements in employee engagement, conflict resolution, investigations, and management coaching. To be successful, the HR Business Partner pairs empathy with disciplined execution and sound judgment. You will serve as a trusted, accessible resource and colleague to all employees in the organization, including hourly employees and temporary staff.
Our workforce spans office, warehouse, and clean-room manufacturing environments across multiple sites. The ideal candidate thrives in ambiguity, navigates cross-cultural dynamics with curiosity and respect, and adapts their approach to different audiences while maintaining consistent standards and fair outcomes. You will coach supervisors through sensitive situations, resolve complex employee issues, lead fair and well-documented investigations, and apply risk management as we grow and formalize processes.
Job Responsibilities
- Serve as the primary HR Partner to frontline managers and supervisors, providing day-to-day guidance on employee relations issues, performance management, and leadership practices.
- Provide coaching and training to frontline managers on conflict resolution, effective communication, talent development, and handling sensitive employee situations.
- Lead and manage workplace investigations that vary across complaints, grievances, and policy violations to ensure timely, fair, and compliant resolution
- Collaborate with executive leadership, legal, and compliance teams to drive initiatives and manage escalated employee matters.
- Analyze employee relations and engagement data to surface trends and drive proactive solutions.
- Co-lead employee engagement surveys, focus groups, and feedback sessions, and turn results into strategies that improve culture and retention.
- Work with Talent Acquisition to identify talent gaps and advise managers on development and headcount strategy.
- Design, implement, and manage Just-In-Time Training and other employee learning and development programs for production, operations, and office employees.
- Support day-to-day HR Operations and projects as needed.
Qualifications
Required
- Bachelor's degree in Human Resources, Human Resources Development, Business Administration, or related field
- 5+ years of progressive HR experience with a strong focus on employee relations, engagement, and talent development
- Previous experience supporting an hourly, production, or manufacturing employee population
- Demonstrated experience leading employee investigations and managing conflict resolution from intake through resolution
- Experience working with diverse and multicultural employee populations
- Strong interpersonal, coaching, influencing, and problem-solving skills
- Solid understanding of employment law, HR policies, and regulatory requirements
- Proven ability to manage multiple priorities in a fast-paced environment
- Demonstrated ability to work through ambiguity and take initiative
- High level of integrity, discretion, and confidentiality
Preferred
- Professional proficiency in Mandarin Chinese, Vietnamese, and/or Spanish preferred
- SHRM-CP or PHR certification
- Proficiency in Microsoft Suite for project documentation and reporting
- Experience supporting a multilingual, multicultural production workforce
- Experience creating dashboards, data analysis, or AI tools highly preferred.
- Experience designing leadership and hourly training a plus.
Location & Work Environment
This position is full-time and 100% onsite in Sugar Land, Texas or Pearland, Texas. The location includes office, warehouse, and cleanroom manufacturing work environments.
Expected hours for this position are 11 AM to 8 PM CT, Monday through Friday.
Regional travel within the Houston Metro Area up to 10% as needed.
Why AOI?
AOI offers:
- Flexible and competitive medical, dental, and vision plans with options designed to meet individual and family needs.
- Employer matching on 401(k) deferrals
- Generous PTO policy, with unused PTO payout at end of the year
- Relocation packages available within the United States
Applied Optoelectronics, Inc. (AOI) is committed to providing equal opportunity in all of our employment practices, including hiring, placement, promotion, training, transfer and compensation, to all qualified applicants and employees without regard to race, color, national origin, citizenship, religion, sex, veteran status, age, disability, marital status, or any other category protected by State or U.S. Federal law. Moreover, we endeavor to treat our employees fairly.
We do not accept unsolicited proposals from third-party recruiters or agencies. Contacting hiring managers directly may result in disqualification of submissions
Skills Required
- Bachelor's degree in Human Resources, Human Resources Development, Business Administration, or a related field
- 5+ years of progressive HR experience focused on employee relations, engagement, and talent development
- Experience supporting hourly, production, or manufacturing employees
- Experience leading employee investigations and managing conflict resolution from intake through resolution
- Experience working with diverse and multicultural employee populations
- Strong interpersonal, coaching, influencing, and problem-solving skills
- Understanding of employment law, HR policies, and regulatory requirements
- Ability to manage multiple priorities in a fast-paced environment
- Ability to work through ambiguity and take initiative
- High integrity, discretion, and confidentiality
- Professional proficiency in Mandarin Chinese, Vietnamese, and/or Spanish
- SHRM-CP or PHR certification
- Proficiency in Microsoft Suite for project documentation and reporting
- Experience supporting a multilingual, multicultural production workforce
- Experience creating dashboards, conducting data analysis, or using AI tools
- Experience designing leadership and hourly training programs
What We Do
Applied Optoelectronics, Inc. | NASDAQ: AAOI AOI is a leading designer and manufacturer of fiber optic networking products. We primarily serve three growing end-markets: cable television broadband, fiber-to-the-home, and internet data centers. We are vertically integrated with a product portfolio from laser chips, components, sub-assemblies and modules, to complete turn-key equipment. All three of our end-markets are driven by bandwidth demand fueled by the growth of network connected devices, such as video traffic, cloud computing and online social networking. To address this increased demand, CATV and telecommunications service providers are investing to improve their networks in competition to deliver voice, video, and data services to their subscribers. Rising bandwidth consumption is also driving demand for higher speed server connections in the internet data center market. As a result of these trends, fiber optic networking technology has become fundamental in all three of our target markets to meet these needs. Our vertical integration, broad product lines, and in-house design capability uniquely position AOI to serve these markets and offer us the flexibility to address tomorrow's fiber optic applications. To learn more about our company and products, we invite you to visit our website. Website www.ao-inc.com Facebook tinyurl.com/ycxcsbwx Instagram tinyurl.com/rqsbpk5 Twitter tinyurl.com/rd6dtvn
