Human Resources Business Partner (11AM-8PM)

Ao Inc; Sugar Land (TX); On-site; USD 90,000 - 120,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Flexible medical, dental, and vision

401(k) with employer match

Generous PTO; year-end payout

Job summary

Applied Optoelectronics, Inc. (AOI) is seeking an experienced HR Business Partner to lead employee relations and development for production managers and supervisors as our manufacturing operations scale.

This role builds trust on the production floor and guides investigations, coaching, and risk management across sites in Sugar Land and Pearland, TX. The ideal candidate thrives in ambiguity, collaborates with cross-functional teams, and maintains fair outcomes while upholding high standards of

Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree in Human Resources, Human Resources Development, Business Administration, or related field
• 5+ years of progressive HR experience with focus on employee relations, engagement, and talent development
• Experience supporting hourly, production, or manufacturing employee population
• Experience leading employee investigations and conflict resolution
• Experience with diverse/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 navigate ambiguity and take initiative
• High integrity, discretion, and confidentiality

Responsibilities

• Serve as primary HR Partner to frontline managers and supervisors with guidance on employee relations, performance management, and leadership practices.
• Provide coaching and training on conflict resolution, talent development, and handling sensitive situations.
• Lead workplace investigations to ensure timely, fair, and compliant resolution.
• Collaborate with executive leadership, legal, and compliance to drive initiatives and manage escalated matters.
• Analyze employee relations and engagement data to surface trends and inform strategies.
• Co-lead employee engagement surveys and focus groups; translate results into retention strategies.
• Work with Talent Acquisition to identify gaps and advise on development/headcount strategy.
• Design and manage Just-In-Time Training and other learning programs for production, operations, and office staff.
• Support day-to-day HR operations and projects as needed.

Skills

Employee relations

Talent development

Coaching

Investigations

Multicultural workforce

Communication

Problem solving

Integrity & confidentiality

Education

Bachelor’s degree in HR/Business Admin or related

Tools

MS Office

HRIS

Job description

About AOI

Applied Optoelectronics, Inc. (AOI) is a leading developer and manufacturer of advanced optical and HFC networking products — the building blocks that power AI datacenters, CATV broadband, telecom, and fiber access networks around the world. Headquartered in Sugar Land, Texas, AOI is a vertically integrated company that designs and manufactures everything from semiconductor laser chips to finished optical transceivers, serving tier‑one customers across cloud computing, broadband, and telecom. With R&D operations in Atlanta, GA and global manufacturing presence in Taiwan and China, AOI is publicly traded on the Nasdaq (AAOI) and is actively expanding its U.S.-based manufacturing operations in Sugar Land to meet accelerating demand in the AI datacenter market.

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

• 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.