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 HR & Immigration Coordinator to support critical HR operations across immigration, onboarding, temporary workforce administration, and employee recordkeeping. This role will serve as a key liaison between HR, Operations, staffing agencies, external vendors, and immigration counsel, helping ensure that employee documentation, compliance-related processes, and HR communications are accurate, timely, and well-organized.
Reporting to the Manager of HR, the HR & Immigration Coordinator will help manage employment-based immigration documentation, temporary-to-permanent employee conversions, onboarding logistics, personnel records, and related HR administrative processes. AOI operates across U.S., Taiwan, and China locations and supports a substantial temporary labor population through staffing agency partnerships. The ideal candidate is organized, responsive, and detail-oriented, with the ability to support high-volume HR operations by managing recurring deadlines, maintaining accurate and confidential documentation, communicating clearly, and following through consistently.
Job Responsibilities
Immigration & Compliance Support
- Provide administrative support for employment-based immigration processes (e.g., document collection, tracking, and coordination with legal counsel).
- Maintain organized and compliant immigration records and employee documentation.
- Assist with preparation of internal documentation related to visa sponsorships, transfers, and compliance tracking.
- Prepare employment verification letters, visa support letters, and invitation letters for business visitors and immigration-related purposes.
- Assist with preparation of employment letters for visa petitions, transfers, and internal documentation needs.
Temporary Workforce & Conversion Administration
- Administer the full conversion lifecycle from temporary to full-time status: distribute and track non-exempt performance reviews, review evaluation outcomes (pass, extend, or fail), initiate background checks, and prepare conversion documentation. This is a high-volume, recurring process that directly affects production headcount.
- Review background check results and escalate discrepancies or concerns to the appropriate HR leader promptly.
- Track probation review timelines and respond to inquiries from supervisors and employees. Delays in this process affect both the employee experience and operational planning.
Onboarding & New Hire Operations
- Coordinate onboarding logistics for new employees, including orientation scheduling, preparation of employee files, offer letter distribution, and first-day readiness. AOI's onboarding process accommodates both direct hires and temporary-to-permanent conversions, often on overlapping timelines.
- Prepare and coordinate welcome materials for new employees and company visitors, including branded items and gift sets.
- Ensure all new hire documentation is complete and properly filed by the employee's start date.
General HR Administrative Operations
- Maintain employee personnel files (electronic and physical) with accuracy, completeness, and compliance with retention requirements.
- Prepare, submit, and track purchase orders for HR-related expenses, including vendor services, immigration costs, and departmental events. Coordinate invoice documentation and ensure proper approvals before submission to Accounting.
- Perform routine filing, document scanning, and record retention activities. Support general office administration for the HR function, including supply coordination and documentation management.
Program & Event Coordination
- Coordinate HR-related events and programs, including quarterly employee events and orientation sessions, managing logistics end to end.
- Support workforce engagement initiatives and internal communication activities as directed by HR leadership.
Qualifications
Candidates must be authorized to work in the United States. Visa sponsorship is not available for this position.
Required:
- Associate's or Bachelor's degree in Human Resources, Business Administration, or a related field.
- 1–3 years of experience in HR administration, immigration coordination, or workforce operations. Manufacturing or high-volume environment experience is strongly preferred.
- Strong organizational and time management skills with the ability to manage multiple parallel workstreams during peak periods.
- High attention to detail in data entry, documentation, and compliance processes. This role handles sensitive employee and immigration data daily.
- Experience working with HRIS platforms and workforce management systems (ADP and VMS platform experience preferred).
- Clear written and verbal communication skills. The Coordinator interfaces regularly with employees, managers, staffing agencies, immigration counsel, and Accounting.
- Proficiency in Microsoft Office (Word, Excel, Outlook).
Preferred:
- Prior experience supporting employment-based immigration processes (H-1B, L-1, PERM, or similar).
- Familiarity with temporary staffing agency management and temp-to-perm conversion workflows.
- Experience with onboarding systems or applicant tracking systems.
- Bilingual proficiency (Mandarin, Spanish, or Vietnamese) is a plus.
Location & Work Environment
This position is full-time onsite and based in Sugar Land, Texas. This location has a combination of office, warehouse, and cleanroom manufacturing work environments. Expected business hours for this position are 9am to 6pm CT, Monday through Friday.
Why AOI?
In addition to competitive salary, AOI offers:
- Flexible and competitive health (medical, dental, vision) plans offer the employee with the right options 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.