Production Planner

Aston Carter•San Clemente, CA

22h•$34 - $44•Onsite

About The Position

This role develops and maintains detailed production and operational schedules for complex aerospace engineering programs in a high mix, low volume, make-to-order environment. You will coordinate closely with engineering, procurement, manufacturing, quality, and supply chain teams to ensure material availability, schedule adherence, and production readiness. As the primary planning owner for a large government aerospace program, you will build structure where little currently exists, drive cross-functional alignment, and support an ongoing ERP (SAP) implementation while using advanced Excel-based tools. This position offers the opportunity to lead planning activities end-to-end, influence processes, and contribute directly to the successful execution of technically sophisticated aerospace products.

Requirements

Bachelor’s degree in business, supply chain, engineering, or a related field.
Approximately 5 years of experience in operations planning, production planning, or program coordination.
Industry experience in Aerospace & Defense, supporting technical aerospace products such as electrical components or systems (beyond basic fasteners or simple composites).
Proven experience in high mix, low volume manufacturing and planning environments.
Hands-on experience with ERP systems (SAP preferred, but any ERP experience is acceptable).
Expert-level proficiency in Microsoft Excel for planning, analysis, and reporting.
Strong experience working with multi-level bills of materials (BOMs).
Demonstrated mix of supply chain and planning experience, with exposure to multiple facets of the supply chain process rather than solely traditional planning duties.
Strong knowledge of production scheduling principles and best practices.
Strong knowledge of supply chain coordination and supply chain management.
Strong knowledge of manufacturing operations and production control.
Strong knowledge of capacity planning and resource utilization.
Ability to interpret engineering drawings, BOMs, and production documentation accurately.
Ability to work effectively in a dynamic, flexible environment with limited existing processes and structure.
Strong cross-functional communication and collaboration skills to work closely with engineering, purchasing, production, and other teams.

Nice To Haves

Experience supporting specific aerospace programs or government aerospace contracts.
Familiarity with SAP ERP in a manufacturing or aerospace environment.
Experience in make-to-order, highly technical product environments.
Familiarity with Lean Manufacturing and Continuous Improvement methodologies.
Experience developing and maintaining planning reports, dashboards, and KPI tracking for leadership.
Comfort working with a high degree of autonomy as the primary planner for a major program.
Ability to identify and implement process improvements in planning, inventory management, and workflow optimization.
Strong analytical skills to assess schedule risk, identify bottlenecks, and recommend mitigation actions.

Responsibilities

Develop, maintain, and optimize production and operational schedules for aerospace engineering programs and manufacturing activities in a high mix, low volume environment.
Coordinate with engineering, procurement, manufacturing, quality, and supply chain teams to ensure schedule adherence, material availability, and production readiness.
Monitor capacity planning, labor utilization, tooling availability, and production constraints to keep programs on track.
Analyze operational data and key performance indicators to identify schedule risks, bottlenecks, and opportunities for process and workflow improvement.
Support program execution by tracking milestones, deliverables, and production readiness activities across multiple programs, with primary ownership of a large government aerospace program.
Prepare, maintain, and present planning documentation, reports, and dashboards for leadership review and decision-making.
Participate in cross-functional coordination efforts, serving as the central point of contact for planning and scheduling issues.
Collaborate with suppliers and internal stakeholders to mitigate delays, resolve operational issues, and maintain continuity of supply.
Ensure compliance with industry standards, quality requirements, and regulatory guidelines in all planning and scheduling activities.
Support continuous improvement initiatives related to operational efficiency, inventory management, and workflow optimization.
Assist in implementing ERP/MRP system updates and improvements, including supporting the transition to SAP and bridging gaps with Excel-based tools during implementation.
Interpret engineering drawings, multi-level bills of materials, and production documentation to create accurate and realistic production plans.
Balance and integrate supply chain considerations, including material planning and inventory management, with production scheduling requirements.
Provide planning support to 2–3 additional smaller aerospace programs while maintaining primary focus on the main government program.
Establish and refine planning processes and standards in a flexible environment with limited existing structure, taking ownership of building and stabilizing planning practices.