Production Planner & Controller - Competitive Salary + Career Growth

Job Description

Job Description

This job is posted on behalf of Butler Recruitment Group by Top Echelon.

Production Controller

Location: Herndon, VA 20171

Salary Range: $72,000 - $96,000 / year

About the Role

We are seeking a hands-on, proactive Production Controller to support space flight hardware manufacturing in our ISO class 6-8 clean laboratory environments.

This role requires daily physical presence on the shop floor and in cleanroom labs. You will actively drive work orders, remove blockers, coordinate materials, and keep production flowing. The ideal candidate has experience with aerospace/space-flight systems and thrives in a dynamic, build-focused environment.

What You'll Do

Cleanroom & Shop-Floor Control (≥50% of time)

• Move constantly between work centers to ensure smooth progress.
• Physically verify readiness of materials, tooling, travelers, and documentation.
• Partner directly with technicians on next steps, priority sequencing, and quality gates.

Work Order Tracking & Problem Solving

• Manage work orders from release to completion using Costpoint (or equivalent ERP).
• Monitor Work-In-Progress (WIP) in person daily to spot schedule risks early.
• Drive quick resolutions with Procurement, Quality, Engineering, and program teams.
• Keep ERP accurate (dates, serial numbers, routing, attachments, status).

Material & Shortage Management

• Run daily shortage reviews and physically validate materials at assembly stations.
• Track incoming parts, inspection status, and Non-Conformance impacts.
• Escalate blockers and push for recovery actions quickly.

Documentation & Improvement

• Ensure every build uses the correct BOM, router, and work instructions.
• Manage ECO/ECN cut-ins with minimal disruption.
• Maintain daily dashboards for WIP aging, shortages, and schedule adherence.
• Propose improvements to layout, flow, or documentation to fix inefficiencies.

What You Need (Minimum Qualifications)

• Experience: 4–8 years in production control or manufacturing planning for aerospace/spaceflight hardware.
• ERP Skills: Hands-on work order tracking in Costpoint (or equivalent ERP/MRP).
• Technical Knowledge: Strong grasp of manufacturing flows, routers, BOMs, travelers, and configuration management. Ability to read engineering drawings.
• Environment: Experience working in cleanroom environments.
• Soft Skills: Proactive mindset, strong communicator, basic MS Office proficiency.
• Clearance: U.S. Citizenship required (ITAR/export compliance).

Bonus Points (Preferred Qualifications)

• Hands-on experience with space flight hardware (avionics, propulsion, mechanisms, structures, or payload subsystems).
• Associate’s or Bachelor’s degree.