Purchasing Specialist

APPLIED OPTOELECTRONICS INC; Sugar Land (TX); On-site; USD 42,000 - 64,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Health benefits

401(k) match

Generous PTO

Relocation assistance

Job summary

Applied Optoelectronics, Inc. (AOI) seeks a Purchasing Specialist to support procure-to-pay processes and ensure timely payment. This onsite role in Sugar Land TX interfaces with suppliers, Accounts Payable, Buyers, and internal teams to resolve invoice discrepancies and maintain procurement records.

The role emphasizes reviewing invoices, updating POs, monitoring payment status, and delivering accurate reports. Proficiency in SAP/Excel is a plus; relocation assistance may be offered.

Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree in Supply Chain Management, Business Administration, Finance, Accounting, Operations, or a related field.
• 1–3 years of experience in purchasing, procurement, supply chain, accounts payable, or a related function.
• Working knowledge of purchase orders, invoices, receiving records, payment terms, and supplier transactions.
• Strong written and verbal communication skills, including professional communication with suppliers and internal stakeholders.
• Strong organizational skills, follow-through, and attention to detail, with the ability to independently manage multiple open items and deadlines.
• Proficiency in Microsoft Office applications, particularly Excel.

Responsibilities

• Resolve invoice and purchase order discrepancies by determining ownership and coordinating corrections across Procurement, Accounts Payable, suppliers, Receiving, and other stakeholders.
• Communicate directly with suppliers to obtain corrected invoices, credit memos, statements, and other required information.
• Monitor open invoices, supplier credits, unresolved discrepancies, and payment status to reduce avoidable delays.
• Prepare payment projections, invoice-status reports, freight reports, and other procurement-related reporting.
• Maintain accurate data in SAP, Excel, and applicable purchasing or financial systems.
• Escalate significant pricing issues, supplier disputes, policy exceptions, or matters outside assigned authority to Procurement Leadership.
• Identify recurring issues and recommend practical improvements to purchasing and invoice-resolution processes.
• Support audits, supplier onboarding, reporting, and other procurement projects as assigned.

Skills

Communication skills

Attention to detail

Time management

Education

Bachelor’s degree in Supply Chain Management, Business Administration, Finance, Accounting, Operations, or related field

Tools

Excel

SAP S/4HANA

Job description

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.

Applied Optoelectronics, Inc. (AOI) is a leading developer and manufacturer of advanced optical, semiconductor, and HFC networking products that support AI datacenters, cable broadband, telecom, FTTH, and fiber access networks around the world. Headquartered in Sugar Land, Texas, AOI is a vertically integrated company that designs and manufactures products ranging from semiconductor laser chips and optical components to high-speed optical transceivers and HFC networking equipment. AOI’s operations include semiconductor chip R&D in Sugar Land, dedicated cable and fiber product R&D in Atlanta, and manufacturing operations across Texas, Taiwan, and mainland China. Publicly traded on the Nasdaq (AAOI), AOI is actively expanding its U.S.-based manufacturing operations in Sugar Land to meet accelerating demand in the AI datacenter market.

Summary

The Purchasing Specialist is responsible for supporting the procure-to-pay (P2P) process by ensuring the accurate and timely review, reconciliation, and resolution of supplier invoices. This position serves as the primary liaison between suppliers, Accounts Payable, Purchasing Buyers, and internal stakeholders to resolve invoice discrepancies, coordinate Purchase Order revisions, and facilitate timely payment processing.

This role is responsible for reviewing supplier invoices for accuracy, obtaining revised invoices and credit memos when needed, coordinating with buyers to update purchase orders, monitoring payment status and payment schedules, and ensuring compliance with company purchasing policies and procedures. In addition, the Purchasing Specialist supports financial and operational reporting by preparing payment projection reports, monitoring shipping costs, and performing data entry to ensure the accuracy and integrity of procurement records.

This position plays a critical role in maintaining strong vendor relationships, minimizing payment delays, and supporting efficient procurement operations through effective cross-functional collaboration.

Job Responsibilities

• Resolve invoice and purchase order discrepancies by determining ownership and coordinating corrections across Procurement, Accounts Payable, suppliers, Receiving, and other stakeholders.
• Communicate directly with suppliers to obtain corrected invoices, credit memos, statements, and other required information.
• Monitor open invoices, supplier credits, unresolved discrepancies, and payment status to reduce avoidable delays.
• Prepare payment projections, invoice-status reports, freight reports, and other procurement-related reporting.
• Maintain accurate data in SAP, Excel, and applicable purchasing or financial systems.
• Escalate significant pricing issues, supplier disputes, policy exceptions, or matters outside assigned authority to Procurement Leadership.
• Identify recurring issues and recommend practical improvements to purchasing and invoice-resolution processes.
• Support audits, supplier onboarding, reporting, and other procurement projects as assigned.

Qualifications

Candidates must be authorized to work in the United States. Visa sponsorship is not available for this position.

Required

• Bachelor’s degree in Supply Chain Management, Business Administration, Finance, Accounting, Operations, or a related field.
• 1–3 years of experience in purchasing, procurement, supply chain, accounts payable, or a related function. Relevant internship or cooperative education experience may be considered.
• Working knowledge of purchase orders, invoices, receiving records, payment terms, and supplier transactions.
• Ability to review transaction details, identify discrepancies, resolve routine issues, and elevate matters appropriately.
• Strong written and verbal communication skills, including professional communication with suppliers and internal stakeholders.
• Strong organizational skills, follow-through, and attention to detail, with the ability to independently manage multiple open items and deadlines.
• Proficiency in Microsoft Office applications, particularly Excel.

Preferred

• Experience with SAP, SAP S/4HANA, or another ERP system.
• Experience with invoice reconciliation, three-way matching, purchase order maintenance, or supplier statement review.
• Experience in a manufacturing, semiconductor, electronics, or technology environment.

This is a full-time, onsite position based at AOI’s Sugar Land, Texas campus, a combined office, warehouse, and manufacturing environment.

Typical business hours are Monday through Friday, 9:00 a.m. to 6:00 p.m. CT, with flexibility required during peak payment cycles, audits, and other business-critical periods.

Why AOI?

• Flexible and competitive health benefits, including medical, dental, and vision plans 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 Federal law. Moreover, we endeavor to treat our employees fairly.