Production Planner Administrator III

NASA Jet Propulsion Laboratory

14d•$100,672 - $119,496•Onsite

About The Position

The Production Planner Administrator III will join the Production Control Group within JPL’s Facilities and Logistics Operations Division. The role applies industrial engineering, analytical, and technical expertise to optimize production processes, manage work order and material flow, and drive continuous improvement across a manufacturing environment. It connects planning, material management, and engineering integration to support on-time, cost-effective delivery of flight and ground hardware to high quality standards. The position manages MRP-driven supply, demand, and fulfillment planning; coordinates production schedules and material availability; analyzes MRP/ERP output; and provides material status, factory priorities, WIP visibility, KPIs, and corrective action plans. It also supports engineering and manufacturing issue resolution, capacity and manpower planning, configuration control, and operational improvement initiatives. The role collaborates with engineering, manufacturing, supply chain, quality, finance, logistics, and project management teams.

Requirements

Typically requires a bachelor’s degree in Industrial Engineering, Manufacturing Engineering, Systems Engineering, or a related field with 6 years of related experience, or a master’s degree with 4 years of related experience.
Strong understanding of manufacturing processes, production planning, capacity analysis, MRP/ERP systems, inventory management, and material flow.
Ability to read and interpret engineering and manufacturing drawings.
Strong analytical, statistical, and problem-solving skills; proficient (the posting does not specify the area of proficiency).

Nice To Haves

Experience in aerospace, defense, electronics, EV automotive, or other advanced manufacturing environments.
Familiarity with AS9100, FAR/DFAR, government contracting, export controls, and lean manufacturing practices.
Prior experience with Oracle MRP.
Experience with SQL, Python, R, PowerBI, MS Project, or advanced data analysis tools.
Ability to manage ambiguity, drive initiatives, and lead cross-functional projects.

Responsibilities

Manage MRP-driven supply, demand, and fulfillment planning; release work orders, requisitions, and kits; and maintain accurate part master data and configuration.
Coordinate with engineering and project teams to review drawings, translate requirements into manufacturable plans, and support Instructions for Build, Assembly & Test (IBAT) and manufacturing issue resolution.
Review and level-load production schedules to optimize resources, capacity, and throughput; assess manufacturing capabilities to meet project requirements cost-effectively.
Monitor material availability, resolve shortages, identify alternate sourcing, expedite subassemblies, and ensure components are available at point of use.
Analyze MRP/ERP output, troubleshoot exceptions, adjust lead times, and ensure valid order policies, safety stocks, and build readiness.
Provide material status, factory priorities, WIP visibility, KPIs, and corrective action plans; identify risks to build schedules and develop mitigation strategies.
Optimize production workflows, reduce waste, shorten cycle times, improve productivity, and remove bottlenecks using industrial-engineering methods.
Support continuous improvement initiatives using Lean, Six Sigma, value stream mapping (VSM), root cause analysis (RCA), and data-driven analysis.
Collaborate across engineering, manufacturing, supply chain, quality, finance, logistics, and project management teams to maintain material flow, resolve issues, and align priorities.
Contribute to capacity planning, manpower planning, change management, configuration control, and operational improvement projects.