Production Planner

Key Responsibilities (but not limited to): Owns an assigned portfolio of active work orders from job release through customer shipment; always maintains real-time visibility into the status of every open job Tracks each job through every routing operation — setup, machining operations, in-process inspection, finishing, final inspection, packaging, and shipment Conducts daily follow-up with machining supervisors, quality, and purchasing to confirm jobs are progressing on schedule and surfaces any delays before they impact committed ship dates Proactively identifies schedule gaps, capacity constraints, production holds, and purchasing delays — and takes direct action to resolve them in coordination with the appropriate department Maintains a strong floor presence; regularly walks the production floor to visually confirm job status, build working relationships with machine operators and supervisors, and surface issues not yet reflected in the ERP system Works cross-functionally with machining, quality, engineering, and purchasing to bridge schedule gaps; owns the follow-up and resolution — not just the identification — of issues affecting the job portfolio Executes MRP runs in Epicor and applies a thorough understanding of Epicor planning attributes — including lead times, lot sizing rules, planning parameters, and order policies — to accurately predict MRP output and evaluate the validity of system-generated suggestions before acting on them Creates, manages, and closes manufacturing work orders and job travelers; monitors WIP progression through all operations and ensures each job is placed to meet its ship date Schedules production operations at the machine level, balancing setup time and run time across machining centers in a high mix, low volume job shop environment Validates and maintains routing accuracy in Epicor — including operation sequences, machine assignments, and standard cycle times — prior to each MRP run Performs capacity analysis and load leveling to develop realistic, executable production schedules; identifies and escalates constraint bottlenecks before they impact customer deliveries Follows up with purchasing on outside processing (OSP) status and material availability that affects active jobs; escalates purchasing delays that put ship dates at risk Collaborates with manufacturing engineering on tooling and fixture availability before releasing jobs to the floor; flags tooling gaps that will prevent on-time job starts Coordinates with the quality team on First Article Inspection (FAI) scheduling and in-process inspection holds; builds inspection time into job schedules and follows up on dispositions without delay Manages rework and scrap recovery planning; immediately adjusts affected schedules and communicates revised commit dates to customer service before the customer is impacted Monitors engineering change orders (ECOs) for impact on in-process jobs; replans affected work orders and communicates schedule changes to all stakeholders promptly Responds to semiconductor customer expedite requests in coordination with customer service; reprioritizes the production floor dynamically while protecting commitments on other active jobs Provides realistic production lead times to customer service and sales for new quotes, change orders, and customer-requested pull-in dates based on actual shop capacity Communicates proactively with customer service and sales when any job in the portfolio is at risk; delivers a recovery plan and revised commit date — does not wait for the customer to ask Prepares and presents a daily portfolio status update to the Master Scheduler / Planning Manager highlighting at-risk jobs, active gaps, and resolution actions in progress Generates and distributes production reports including schedule adherence, capacity loading, on-time delivery metrics, and WIP status Tracks key performance indicators (KPIs) including on-time delivery (OTD), schedule adherence, and production efficiency Maintains accurate records in Epicor for all planning activities; ensures job status, operation completions, and schedule dates are current at all times Ensures compliance with company procedures, quality standards, and safety regulations in all planning activities Essential Skills: Job shop / HMLV scheduling: hands-on experience planning production in a high mix, low volume, make-to-order or job shop manufacturing environment; precision plastic machining experience preferred MRP expertise and Epicor planning attribute knowledge: must demonstrate a strong working understanding of Epicor planning attributes — lead times, lot sizing methods, order minimums, planning parameters, and operation scheduling logic — sufficient to anticipate MRP output, evaluate system suggestions critically, and make informed adjustments before releasing planned orders Advanced data analysis: proficiency in Microsoft Excel beyond basic functions — including Power Query (plus), Lookups and PivotTables with calculated fields for open order management, priority dispatch report, capacity tracking, and schedule analysis Machining process awareness (big plus): ability to read basic engineering drawings and understand machining operation sequences; basic working knowledge of CNC milling, turning, and common finishing operations as they relate to scheduling and throughput time Capacity planning: demonstrated ability to analyze machine-level workload, identify overload conditions, and develop executable load-leveled schedules in a job shop environment Outstanding communication skills: communicates clearly and professionally with production supervisors, machine operators, purchasing, quality, engineering, and customer service teams; adapts communication style to the audience — concise on the floor, structured in reporting Strong floor presence: genuinely comfortable spending significant time on the production floor; able to build credibility and rapport with machinists and supervisors through consistent follow-through and technical awareness Obsessive attention to detail: able to manage large amount active work orders simultaneously without losing visibility into any individual job; builds and maintains personal tracking discipline to ensure nothing falls through the cracks Proactive, ownership mindset: does not wait to be told a job is late; independently identifies schedule slippage and acts immediately; brings solutions and recovery plans, not just status updates Urgency and composure under pressure: thrives in a fast-paced, high-urgency environment; able to rapidly reprioritize in response to expedites, scrap events, or capacity disruptions without losing control of the broader schedule Assertive cross-functional follow-up: comfortable initiating direct, professional conversations with other departments and purchasing to move issues forward; does not passively wait for updates Resolves problems utilizing analytical thinking and acquired knowledge; identifies root cause, proposes a recovery plan, and executes with urgency Demonstrates strong personal time management and self-direction Qualifications: 3–5 years of production planning or scheduling experience in a precision machining, job shop, or contract manufacturing environment; semiconductor equipment or similar high-precision industry experience a strong plus Hands-on MRP execution experience in an ERP environment is required; candidates who have relied solely on manual or spreadsheet-based scheduling without ERP/MRP execution will not be considered Demonstrated understanding of ERP planning parameters and their downstream effect on MRP output; ability to critically evaluate system-generated suggestions rather than blindly accepting them Ability to read and interpret engineering drawings and manufacturing routings is required Strong written and verbal communication skills; ability to interface clearly and professionally with production supervisors, operators, purchasing, quality, engineering, and customer service under time pressure Bachelor's degree in Supply Chain Management, Business, Manufacturing Engineering, or related field preferred; equivalent professional experience in a precision machining or manufacturing environment will be considered in lieu of degree CPIM certification is a strong plus; candidates actively working toward CPIM are encouraged to apply Must be able to follow written and oral instructions Good interpersonal skills with the ability to work effectively in a team environment Must be authorized to work in the United States Compensation / Benefits · Competitive Salary, 401K · Medical, Dental, Vision, Life Insurance for all Full Time employees Other: Work Environment & Physical Demands On-site, full-time role at our manufacturing facility; this position requires significant daily floor presence and is not eligible for remote or hybrid work Significant walking and floor time is expected and required — this role is not a desk-only position; the planner is expected to physically follow jobs through the shop and engage directly with production personnel Fast-paced job shop environment with frequent schedule changes, competing priorities, and time-sensitive customer demands from semiconductor OEM customers Regularly required to use hands, fingers, and tools to operate a computer, phone, and other office equipment as needed Occasional extended hours may be required during MRP go-live, end-of-month shipping pushes, or periods of high customer expedite activity PLEASE NOTE RELOCATION PACKAGE/ASSISTANCE IS NOT AVAILABLE AT THIS TIME NOTE: This job description is not intended to be all-inclusive. Employee may perform other related duties as negotiated to meet the ongoing needs of the organization. Pay: $75,000.00 - $85,000.00 per year Benefits: 401(k) Dental insurance Health insurance Life insurance Paid time off Vision insurance Location: Hayward, CA 94544 (Preferred) Work Location: In person