Planner

Aston Carter•Germantown, MD

11d•$83,000 - $108,000•Onsite

About The Position

The Production Planner develops, maintains, and executes the Master Production Schedule (MPS) to align production capacity, material availability, and contractual delivery requirements. The role works closely with production, materials, contracts, program management, planning, and manufacturing teams to establish stable schedules, manage changes, and resolve delivery issues in a fast-growing, mission-driven technical manufacturing environment. This is a permanent, fully onsite position in Germantown, Maryland. It operates on a 9/80 schedule, with every other Friday off, and includes a structured holiday calendar and a company shutdown period around the holidays. The position supports military and defense technology and requires close collaboration with production operations and international teams. The pay range is $83,000–$108,000 per year. Employees may also be eligible for annual performance-based bonuses, equity awards, and overtime pay when applicable. The role requires a bachelor's degree and at least five years of relevant experience, including extensive production planning experience in a technical manufacturing environment. Candidates must be U.S. citizens and able to obtain and maintain a U.S. Department of Defense security clearance within a reasonable time after hire.

Requirements

Bachelor's degree.
At least 5 years of demonstrated experience in supply chain, production planning, logistics, or a related field.
Extensive production planning experience in a technical manufacturing environment.
Strong experience in project material management and material planning.
Solid understanding of business processes and functional interrelationships across supply chain, manufacturing, and program management.
Excellent understanding of MRP systems and their application to complex manufacturing operations.
Proficiency with SAP or similar enterprise resource planning tools.
Advanced Microsoft Excel skills, including Pivot Tables, and proficiency with PowerPoint and Word.
Experience using SharePoint for collaboration and document management.
Experience in aerospace and defense manufacturing, the automotive industry, or a similar technical manufacturing environment.
Ability to perform cost analysis and use data to support planning and decision-making.
Experience with schedule planning, material planning, and work order management.
Ability to work effectively in a mission-driven defense technology or advanced manufacturing environment.
U.S. citizenship.
Ability to obtain and maintain a U.S. Department of Defense security clearance within a reasonable time after hire.

Nice To Haves

Experience in defense aerospace or another highly regulated technical manufacturing industry.
Ability to collaborate with international teams and work effectively across time zones and cultures.
Strong communication skills and the polish and presence to engage in meaningful conversations with VP-level leadership.
Proven ability to thrive in a rapidly growing organization undergoing significant change.
Demonstrated capability to help build, refine, and improve supply chain processes and organizations.
Comfort working in a mission-driven environment focused on military and defense technology.
Interest in career advancement and internal mobility, with potential consideration for other opportunities within the organization.
Ability to work collaboratively within a supply chain team of approximately 12–14 employees and a broader site of around 190 employees.

Responsibilities

Create and manage the Master Production Schedule (MPS) based on production capacity, material availability, and contractual requirements.
Obtain alignment and agreement from production, materials, and program office teams before executing the MPS.
Maintain and update MPS files to ensure scheduling information is accurate and current.
Drive closeout of completed programs and jobs, including disposition of requisitions, purchase orders, and residual inventory.
Monitor shipping performance against the MPS and contractual commitments, and develop tracking reports to measure adherence.
Track and report the number and nature of changes to each MPS to support continuous improvement and transparency.
Work with contracts, planning, master scheduling, and production teams to create and maintain the Internal Operating Plan (IOP).
Ensure product flows smoothly from production through packaging to shipping, resolving bottlenecks and delays.
Create reports comparing actual shipments against projections to support data-driven decision-making.
Collaborate with manufacturing to establish and evolve a stable, efficient manufacturing schedule.
Identify opportunities to improve systems, functions, and daily operations to better meet organizational goals.
Reschedule daily delivery requirements and re-plan when issues arise to meet internal needs and contractual obligations.
Consolidate demand for purchase requisitions to optimize procurement and material planning.
Support, communicate, and uphold the organization's mission, values, and culture.
Communicate schedule status, risks, and opportunities clearly and professionally to VP-level leadership.