Master Scheduler

Manufacturing Master Scheduler

The Manufacturing Master Scheduler is responsible for developing, maintaining, and communicating the master production schedule for Midwest Precision's manufacturing operations. This position balances customer requirements, production capacity, material availability, machine capabilities, staffing, and operational priorities to establish a realistic and executable production plan.

The Manufacturing Master Scheduler works closely with Production, Supply Chain, Quality, Engineering, Sales, and Customer Service to identify constraints, address scheduling conflicts, improve workflow, and support on-time delivery. This role is critical to creating visibility, accountability, and alignment across the organization.

Essential Duties and Responsibilities

• Develop and maintain the master production schedule based on customer requirements, available capacity, material availability, and operational priorities.
• Schedule and sequence manufacturing jobs across CNC machining, finishing, assembly, inspection, and outside-processing operations.
• Review open orders, backlog, work-center capacity, material status, tooling requirements, and due dates when establishing production priorities.
• Translate customer demand and delivery commitments into achievable daily, weekly, and monthly production schedules.
• Monitor job progress and update schedules when priorities, capacity, material availability, or customer requirements change.
• Identify scheduling conflicts, capacity limitations, material shortages, and other risks that may affect production or customer delivery.
• Lead or actively participate in daily production and scheduling meetings.
• Communicate schedule changes and priorities clearly to production managers, supervisors, supply chain, quality, engineering, sales, and customer service.
• Coordinate with Supply Chain to ensure materials, purchased components, and outside services are available when required.
• Work with Production leadership to evaluate labor, machine, tooling, and setup capacity.
• Partner with Quality and Engineering to incorporate inspection, documentation, first-article, and technical requirements into the schedule.
• Maintain accurate scheduling, routing, work-center, lead-time, and production information within the ERP system.
• Monitor jobs that are behind schedule and coordinate recovery plans with the appropriate departments.
• Support decisions regarding overtime, alternate machines, job prioritization, outsourcing, and resource allocation.
• Analyze planned production against actual performance and identify recurring scheduling or workflow problems.
• Develop and report scheduling metrics, including schedule attainment, backlog, work-in-process, capacity utilization, past-due orders, and on-time delivery.
• Support continuous-improvement efforts focused on reducing lead times, improving workflow, limiting disruptions, and increasing schedule reliability.
• Ensure scheduling activities support applicable quality, customer, AS9100, ISO, ITAR, and export-control requirements.
• Perform other related duties as assigned.

Required Qualifications

• High school diploma or equivalent.
• Three or more years of production planning, scheduling, supply-chain, or manufacturing operations experience.
• Experience scheduling work in a machining, precision manufacturing, aerospace, automotive, or contract-manufacturing environment.
• Working knowledge of ERP or manufacturing planning systems.
• Strong understanding of production capacity, routings, lead times, material requirements, work centers, and manufacturing constraints.
• Ability to organize and prioritize multiple customer orders and production requirements.
• Strong analytical, problem-solving, and decision-making skills.
• Proficiency with Microsoft Excel and other Microsoft Office applications.
• Ability to communicate schedule priorities and changes clearly across multiple departments.
• Ability to work effectively in a fast-paced environment where priorities may change.

Preferred Qualifications

• Associate or bachelor's degree in supply-chain management, operations, business, engineering, or a related field.
• Five or more years of production planning or master-scheduling experience.
• Experience working in a CNC machining or aerospace manufacturing environment.
• Experience using E2 Shop System or a comparable manufacturing ERP system.
• Knowledge of lean manufacturing, capacity planning, finite scheduling, MRP, and constraint management.
• APICS/ASCM CPIM or CSCP certification.
• Experience working within an AS9100 or ISO-certified quality management system.

Core Competencies

• Planning and organization
• Production and business judgment
• Attention to detail
• Data accuracy and analysis
• Cross-functional communication
• Accountability and follow-through
• Problem-solving
• Adaptability
• Sense of urgency
• Teamwork and collaboration

Performance Expectations

Successful performance in this position includes:

• Creating realistic and achievable production schedules.
• Improving schedule adherence and on-time delivery.
• Providing clear visibility of priorities, constraints, and delivery risks.
• Reducing avoidable schedule changes and production disruptions.
• Maintaining accurate ERP and scheduling information.
• Communicating changes promptly to affected departments.
• Proactively addressing problems before customer commitments are missed.

Work Environment and Physical Requirements

This position operates in both an office and manufacturing environment. The employee may be exposed to moving equipment, manufacturing noise, coolant, metalworking processes, and other conditions typical of a precision-machining facility.

The position requires the ability to:

• Regularly communicate with employees throughout the manufacturing facility.
• Frequently sit, stand, walk, and use a computer.
• Review production activity at machines and work centers.
• Wear required personal protective equipment while on the production floor.
• Occasionally lift or move items weighing up to 25 pounds.