Corporate Tax Accountant at AOI in Sugar Land, TX

Job description

• Applied Optoelectronics is seeking a Corporate Tax Accountant to support corporate tax compliance, tax reporting, government inquiries, tax-related reconciliations, government grant compliance and reporting, and process improvement within the Controller’s organization. This is a newly created position designed to reduce dependency on outside advisors, improve internal tax ownership, and support the company’s increasing tax complexity as a public, manufacturing-focused organization.
• The ideal candidate is a hands-on corporate tax professional with strong federal and state income tax experience, public accounting or corporate tax experience, and the ability to operate independently in a complex environment. This person will support tax compliance, quarterly and annual tax reporting, R&D tax credits, property tax, sales and use tax, government incentive documentation, tax account reconciliations, and external auditor/advisor coordination.
• This role is best suited for someone who is detail-oriented, deadline-driven, comfortable with ambiguity, and capable of building structure where processes are still developing.

Responsibilities

• Support federal and state income tax compliance, including preparation, review, documentation, and coordination of tax filings, extensions, estimates, and related workpapers.
• Assist with quarterly and annual tax provision activities, including tax reporting support required for public company financial reporting.
• Prepare tax-related schedules, documentation, and support for Form 10-Q and Form 10-K tax disclosures in coordination with the Director of Financial Reporting.
• Support tax account reconciliations, tax journal entries, deferred tax schedules, accruals, and other tax-related close activities.
• Coordinate with external tax advisors, auditors, and internal stakeholders to gather data, resolve questions, and ensure timely completion of tax deliverables.
• Support R&D tax credit documentation, analysis, and reporting, including coordination with internal technical, finance, and external advisory teams as needed.
• Support tax-related compliance, documentation, and audit readiness for government incentives, grants, credits, subsidies, and local economic development programs.
• Support federal, state, and local tax audits, including gathering documentation, preparing schedules, responding to information requests, and coordinating with internal stakeholders and external advisors.
• Assist with responses to tax notices, government inquiries, audits, adjustments, and compliance requests, with appropriate internal review and approval.
• Support property tax filings, renditions, assessments, and related documentation.
• Support sales and use tax compliance, research, filings, reconciliations, and documentation as applicable.
• Assist with manufacturing-related tax matters, including fixed assets, depreciation, credits, incentives, inventory-related tax support, and other operational tax considerations.
• Maintain and improve tax calendars to ensure awareness of filing deadlines, reporting obligations, documentation requirements, and compliance timelines.
• Develop and maintain tax SOPs, workpaper templates, documentation standards, and process controls.
• Support tax-related internal controls and control documentation in coordination with the Controller and Financial Reporting team.
• Coordinate with international finance teams and external advisors on tax documentation, intercompany activity, foreign subsidiary information requests, and transfer pricing support as needed.
• Research tax issues and summarize findings, risks, deadlines, and recommendations for management review.
• Identify opportunities to improve tax processes, reduce manual effort, improve documentation quality, and strengthen internal tax knowledge.

Requirements

• Candidates must be authorized to work in the United States. Visa sponsorship is not available for this position.
• Required
• Bachelor’s degree in Accounting, Finance, Taxation, or a related field.
• 4+ years of relevant tax, accounting, or corporate finance experience.
• Experience with federal and state corporate income tax compliance.
• Experience preparing or supporting tax workpapers, reconciliations, schedules, and tax-related journal entries.
• Strong understanding of corporate tax compliance requirements and tax filing deadlines.
• Strong Excel skills and ability to work with large data sets, reconciliations, and multi-source accounting records.
• Ability to work independently, manage ambiguity, and clarify requirements in a complex operating environment.
• Strong attention to detail, organization, documentation discipline, and deadline management.
• Ability to coordinate effectively with internal accounting teams, external tax advisors, auditors, and management.
• Effective written and verbal communication skills, including the ability to explain tax matters clearly to non-tax stakeholders.
• CPA strongly preferred.
• 5–10 years of relevant tax/accounting experience.
• 2+ years of public accounting experience, preferably with corporate tax clients.
• Experience in a public company environment.
• Experience supporting ASC 740 income tax provision activities.
• Experience supporting SEC reporting, including 10-Q and 10-K tax disclosure support.
• Experience with manufacturing, technology, semiconductor, optical networking, industrial, or other complex operating environments.
• Experience with R&D tax credits, government incentives, grants, subsidies, or economic development programs.
• Experience with property tax, sales and use tax, franchise tax, or multistate tax compliance.
• Experience coordinating with external auditors and tax advisors.
• Familiarity with SOX controls or tax-related internal controls.
• Experience with SAP, RDG, Workiva, tax provision software, or similar systems.
• Exposure to international tax, foreign subsidiaries, intercompany transactions, or transfer pricing documentation.
• Mandarin language ability is a plus but not required.

Skills

Required

• Strong Excel skills
• Ability to work with large data sets
• Ability to work independently
• Manage ambiguity
• Attention to detail
• Organization
• Documentation discipline
• Deadline management

Preferred

• CPA
• Familiarity with SOX controls
• Mandarin language ability

Benefits

• 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.