HR & Recruitment Section Manager

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 a results-driven HR & Recruitment Section Manager to lead and scale high-volume recruitment operations for non-exempt roles, including operators, technicians, and production staff. This role is responsible for developing efficient hiring strategies, managing recruitment teams and vendor partnerships, and ensuring timely fulfillment of workforce demands in a fast-paced environment.

The ideal candidate brings strong operational leadership, data-driven decision-making, and hands-on experience managing large-scale hiring campaigns while maintaining a high-quality candidate experience.

Key Responsibilities

High-Volume Recruitment Strategy & Execution

• Develop and execute scalable recruiting strategies to meet aggressive hiring targets for non-exempt roles.

• Manage full-cycle recruitment processes, including sourcing, screening, interviewing, offer management, and onboarding coordination.

• Design and implement batch interview processes (e.g., panel interviews, hiring events) to increase hiring throughput.

• Ensure consistent and efficient candidate experience while maintaining hiring quality standards.

Workforce Planning & Stakeholder Partnership

• Partner with department leaders to forecast headcount needs by department, shift, and timeline.

• Translate workforce plans into actionable recruitment campaigns and hiring schedules.

• Provide regular updates to leadership on hiring progress, challenges, and mitigation strategies.

Recruitment Operations & Process Optimization

• Optimize recruitment workflows, tools, and systems (ATS, VMS) to improve efficiency and reduce time-to-fill.

• Implement automation where possible (offer letters, interview scheduling, onboarding documentation).

• Standardize interview processes, evaluation criteria, and hiring practices across departments.

Vendor & Agency Management

• Manage relationships with staffing agencies and external vendors to ensure a strong pipeline of qualified candidates.

• Monitor vendor performance through KPIs such as fill rate, candidate quality, and retention.

• Negotiate terms and ensure compliance with company policies regarding agency usage.

Team Leadership & Development

• Lead, coach, and develop a team of recruiters and coordinators to achieve hiring goals.

• Set clear performance metrics and accountability standards for the recruitment team.

• Provide training on best practices in high-volume hiring and candidate engagement.

Qualifications

Education

• Bachelor’s degree in Human Resources, Business Administration, or related field preferred.

Experience

• 7+ years of HR/recruitment experience, with at least 3–5 years managing high-volume non-exempt hiring.

• Proven experience hiring for manufacturing, production, or similar operational environments.

• Demonstrated success in managing large-scale hiring initiatives (e.g., 100+ hires within tight timelines).

Skills & Competencies

• Strong knowledge of high-volume recruiting strategies and workforce planning.

• Experience with ATS, VMS, and recruitment analytics tools.

• Excellent organizational and project management skills.

• Strong interpersonal and stakeholder management abilities.

• Data-driven mindset with the ability to analyze metrics and drive continuous improvement.

• Ability to thrive in a fast-paced, rapidly changing environment.
  

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.