Planner

Job Description

Job Description

Position Summary

We are seeking a highly organized and detail-oriented Production Planner to coordinate and optimize production schedules for a high-precision CNC machine shop serving the medical device and semiconductor industries .

The Production Planner will be responsible for translating customer demand and released manufacturing orders into achievable production schedules while balancing machine capacity, labor, material availability, tooling, inspection requirements, and customer priorities. This position will work closely with Manufacturing, Engineering, Quality, Purchasing, and Customer Service to ensure jobs are completed on time, to specification, and in compliance with applicable quality and traceability requirements .

The ideal candidate understands CNC machining environments and is comfortable working in a high-mix, low-to-medium-volume manufacturing operation where precision, documentation, and schedule adherence are critical.

Key ResponsibilitiesProduction Planning & Scheduling

• Develop and maintain daily, weekly, and long-range production schedules for CNC machining operations.
• Plan and sequence work orders based on customer requirements, due dates, routings, machine capabilities, setup requirements, and available capacity.
• Balance machine loading, labor availability, material constraints, tooling requirements, and inspection capacity.
• Identify potential schedule conflicts and bottlenecks before they impact customer deliveries.
• Prioritize and reschedule production in response to changes in customer demand, machine downtime, quality issues, material shortages, and engineering changes.
• Maintain accurate production schedules and communicate changes promptly to affected departments.
• Monitor work-order progress from release through completion and shipment.
• Establish realistic manufacturing lead times based on historical performance and current capacity.

CNC Machine Shop Coordination

• Coordinate production across CNC mills, CNC lathes, Swiss-type machines, multi-axis equipment, and other applicable machining operations.
• Understand basic machining concepts, including setups, cycle times, tooling, fixtures, workholding, secondary operations, and inspection requirements.
• Review routings and estimated labor/machine hours for planning purposes.
• Work with Production Supervisors and CNC Leads to optimize machine utilization and minimize unnecessary setups and downtime.
• Coordinate outside processing such as heat treatment, plating, passivation, coating, grinding, or other subcontract operations when applicable.

Material & Capacity Planning

• Verify material availability before releasing or scheduling work orders.
• Coordinate with Purchasing and Inventory Control regarding material shortages, supplier lead times, and incoming material.
• Monitor machine and labor capacity against demand.
• Identify capacity constraints and recommend overtime, additional shifts, subcontracting, alternate equipment, or schedule changes when necessary.
• Maintain appropriate work-in-process levels without creating excess inventory or unnecessary queue time.

Medical Device & Semiconductor Requirements

• Support production planning in an environment where product quality, traceability, cleanliness, documentation, and process control are critical .
• Ensure production schedules account for required inspection, documentation, cleaning, packaging, and other controlled processes.
• Understand the importance of revision control and ensuring production is scheduled against the correct drawings, specifications, work instructions, and manufacturing routings.
• Coordinate closely with Quality and Engineering when nonconformances, deviations, engineering changes, or quality holds affect production schedules.
• Support customer-specific requirements and applicable quality-system expectations, including environments operating under standards such as ISO 9001, ISO 13485, or applicable semiconductor/customer quality requirements .

ERP / MRP & Data Management

• Create, maintain, and update production orders, schedules, planning parameters, and work-order status within the company's ERP/MRP system.
• Maintain accurate data for part numbers, routings, lead times, work centers, capacity, and production status.
• Use ERP/MRP reports to identify shortages, past-due orders, upcoming demand, capacity constraints, and schedule risks.
• Track production performance and provide accurate status information to management and customer-facing teams.
• Maintain accurate records and ensure planning data reflects actual shop-floor conditions.

Cross-Functional Communication

• Serve as a key communication link between Sales/Customer Service, Engineering, Quality, Purchasing, and Production.
• Communicate priorities and schedule expectations clearly to shop-floor personnel.
• Participate in daily production meetings and provide updates on schedule performance, constraints, and risks.
• Escalate issues that could affect customer delivery, quality, or production capacity.
• Provide reliable production status and estimated completion dates to internal stakeholders.

Key Performance Indicators

Success in this position will be measured through metrics such as:

• On-time delivery performance
• Schedule adherence
• Machine and labor utilization
• Production lead-time performance
• Past-due work orders
• Work-in-process levels
• Schedule stability
• Material availability
• Reduction of production bottlenecks
• Accuracy of ERP/MRP planning data
• Responsiveness to customer and production priorities

Required Qualifications

• 5+ years of experience in production planning, scheduling, production control, or manufacturing operations , preferably in CNC machining.
• Strong understanding of CNC machining and precision manufacturing processes.
• Experience working with an ERP/MRP system.
• Ability to interpret manufacturing routings, work orders, drawings, and basic production documentation.
• Strong analytical, organizational, and problem-solving skills.
• Ability to manage multiple priorities in a fast-paced manufacturing environment.
• Strong communication skills and the ability to work effectively with both office and shop-floor personnel.
• Proficiency with Microsoft Excel, including sorting/filtering, formulas, and production planning spreadsheets.

Preferred Qualifications

• Experience supporting medical device manufacturing, semiconductor manufacturing, aerospace, or other highly regulated/high-precision industries .
• Experience with ISO 13485, ISO 9001, or semiconductor quality systems.
• Familiarity with capacity planning, finite scheduling, MRP, and demand planning.
• Experience with CNC Swiss, 5-axis, mill-turn, or multi-axis machining.
• Understanding of inspection processes and quality requirements.
• Experience coordinating outside processing and suppliers.
• Advanced Excel skills, including pivot tables, lookups, and data analysis.
• Experience with Lean Manufacturing, Continuous Improvement, or Six Sigma methodologies.

Core Competencies

• Planning & Organization: Excellent ability to manage competing priorities and maintain an accurate production schedule.
• Analytical Thinking: Ability to analyze capacity, lead times, constraints, and production data to make sound decisions.
• Manufacturing Knowledge: Practical understanding of CNC machining and shop-floor operations.
• Attention to Detail: High level of accuracy in scheduling, documentation, and ERP/MRP data.
• Communication: Clear and timely communication across departments.
• Problem Solving: Ability to identify root causes of schedule problems and develop practical solutions.
• Accountability: Takes ownership of commitments, deadlines, and schedule performance.
• Adaptability: Comfortable adjusting plans quickly when priorities or manufacturing conditions change.
• Quality Mindset: Understands that schedule performance cannot come at the expense of product quality or customer requirements.

Working Conditions

• Primarily an office/production-control role with regular interaction with the CNC manufacturing floor.
• Frequent interaction with CNC operators, supervisors, engineers, inspectors, and other manufacturing personnel.
• May require occasional extended hours or schedule adjustments to support production requirements.
• Ability to work effectively in a precision manufacturing environment and comply with applicable safety and cleanliness requirements.

Education

Required: High school diploma or equivalent. 3-5 years of production planning in a manufacturing related field.

Preferred: Bachelor's degree in Manufacturing, Industrial Engineering, Operations Management, Supply Chain, Business, or a related field.

What we offer: 

Health Benefits: Medical, dental, and vision coverage. Company paid for Life insurance, short-term and long-term disability insurance.

Additional Benefits: Paid time off, Floating Holidays, Volunteer time off, and sick time off (depending on state of employment). 401k Plan

Employee Perks: Discounts on products and services.

Equal Opportunity Employer/Veterans/Disabled

This employer participates in E-Verify and will provide the federal government with your Form I-9 information to confirm that you are authorized to work in the U.S.  If E-Verify cannot confirm that you are authorized to work, this employer is required to give you written instructions and an opportunity to contact Department of Homeland Security (DHS) or Social Security Administration (SSA) so you can begin to resolve the issue before the employer can take any action against you, including terminating your employment. Employers can only use E-Verify once you have accepted a job offer and completed the Form I-9.