Facilities Manager

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


The Manager of Facilities is responsible for the overall leadership, planning, and execution of all facility operations, infrastructure systems, capital projects, and maintenance activities across assigned sites. This role ensures the reliability, safety, scalability, and compliance of all building systems, including cleanroom environments, manufacturing infrastructure, and critical utilities. The position provides strategic direction for facility master planning, capital investment programs, asset life-cycle management, and operational excellence initiatives, while leading a team of facility professionals and managing third-party contractors.



Job Duties


Strategic Planning & Infrastructure Management

• Develop and implement short- and long-term facility master plans aligned with business growth.
• Lead capital planning (3-5 year outlook) including infrastructure expansion, system upgrades, and asset replacement programs.
• Ensure infrastructure capacity (power, HVAC, chilled water, compressed air, fire protection, etc.) supports manufacturing and cleanroom operations.
• Establish facility standards and technical specifications for new developments and expansions

Capital Projects and Construction Oversight

• Oversee major construction, renovation, and infrastructure upgrade projects from concept through commissioning.
• Manage project budgets, schedules, scope, and risk mitigation strategies.
• Coordinate with architects, engineers, GC, landlords, and regulatory authorities.
• Ensure compliance with local building codes, environmental regulations, and safety standards.
• Review and approve design drawings, technical submittals, and commissioning plans.

Facility Operations & Maintenance

• Lead all preventive, predictive, and corrective maintenance programs.
• Ensure uptime and reliability of critical systems including:
  • HVAC and cleanroom systems
  • Electrical distribution and backup systems
  • Plumbing and process utilities
  • Fire protection and life safety systems

• Implement CMMS best practices and KPI tracking (MTBF, downtime, response time).
• Develop SOPs and maintenance standards.

Team Leadership & Organizational Development

• Lead, mentor, and develop facility engineers, technicians, and supervisors.
• Define roles, responsibilities, and performance metrics.
• Build scalable organizational structure to support business growth.
• Promote safety culture and regulatory compliance.

Budget & Vendor Management

• Develop and manage annual operating and capital budgets.
• Evaluate and negotiate vendor contracts and service agreements.
• Monitor contractor performance and cost efficiency.
• Drive cost optimization initiatives without compromising reliability.

Cross-Functional Collaboration

• Partner with Operations, Engineering, EHS, IT, and Finance teams.
• Support equipment installation planning and production ramp-up.
• Provide facility requirements for new production lines and expansions.
• Act as primary facility liaison with landlords and municipal authorities.

Qualifications

• Bachelor's degree in Construction Management, Engineering, Architecture, or related field (preferred). Master's degree is a plus
• 6+ years of progressive experience in facility management, construction, or industrial infrastructure.
• Experience in semiconductor, cleanroom, manufacturing, or high-tech environments strongly preferred.
• Proven leadership experience managing multi-disciplinary facility teams.
• Experience overseeing large capital projects ($5M+ preferred).
• CFM, FMP, PMP, OSHA 30, or similar certification (preferred, not required)
• Strong technical knowledge of building systems and industrial utilities.
• Advanced project management and budget control skills.
• Ability to read and interpret complex engineering drawings.
• Strategic thinking and long-term infrastructure planning capability.
• Strong leadership, negotiation, and communication skills.
• Experience with ERP/CMMS systems (SAP, Oracle, Maximo, etc.).
• Fluent in Mandarin Chinese is preferred

Work Environment

• Combination of office, manufacturing, construction, and field environments.
• May require occasional after-hours response for critical facility issues.
• Frequent site inspections and oversight of construction areas.

Location


This position will be on-site based in Sugar Land, Texas.



Why AOI?
I n 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.