Position Summary
The Project Planner / Scheduler is responsible for developing and coordinating manufacturing plans, material requirements, and project schedules for industrial fabrication and manufacturing projects. This position works closely with Estimating, Design / Engineering, Purchasing, Manufacturing, Quality, and Project Management to establish priorities, plan the work, align material availability with production needs, and keep projects moving safely, efficiently, and on schedule.
The Planner / Scheduler takes ownership of the planning process from the initial contract handoff through the transition to Project Management. The role requires a strong understanding of how products are built, the ability to interpret manufacturing-level drawings and technical specifications, and the ability to translate project requirements into executable manufacturing plans and formal schedules.
Essential Duties and Responsibilities
Project Planning & Scheduling
· Participate in the contract-award handoff with Estimating to understand project scope, bid assumptions, and the intended execution approach.
· Develop the project manufacturing plan, work breakdown structure, task sequence, milestones, and formal project schedule.
· Develop and maintain detailed schedules using Microsoft Project, including dependencies, milestones, critical-path activities, and target dates.
· Identify manufacturing bottlenecks, critical-path materials, long-lead items, and subcontracted work; develop execution plans that account for these requirements.
· Develop individual task labor estimates and support resource, capacity, and workforce planning as needed.
Drawing, Specification & Manufacturing Review
· Read and fully interpret manufacturing-level engineering and assembly drawings, technical specifications, and contract requirements.
· Understand welding symbols, welding requirements, fabrication methods, machining operations, assembly procedures, and material handling needs.
· Review drawings and specifications to understand how components and assemblies are manufactured, fabricated, welded, machined, and assembled.
· Identify missing, conflicting, or unclear technical information and coordinate resolution with Engineering and the appropriate departments.
· Evaluate project requirements and technical documentation to develop practical, executable manufacturing strategies.
Material Planning & Requisitions
· Develop material takeoffs, Master Material Lists, and Bills of Materials as required by the project.
· Identify material grades, alloys, dimensions, quantities, specifications, and other requirements from drawings and project documentation.
· Determine material priorities and purchasing timelines based on the project schedule, critical path, and supplier lead times.
· Separate critical-path materials from materials that can be purchased later, and communicate priorities to Purchasing.
· Prepare complete, accurate material requisitions with the drawings, specifications, and supporting documentation needed for Purchasing to obtain quotes and place orders.
· Develop and issue subcontract requisitions with the scope and supporting information required for purchase order placement.
Required Qualifications
· Five or more years of experience in manufacturing planning, production scheduling, industrial manufacturing, heavy fabrication, shipbuilding, or a related environment.
· Demonstrated experience developing and maintaining formal project or manufacturing schedules using Microsoft Project.
· Ability to independently build, manage, and update integrated schedules, including task relationships, dependencies, milestones, and critical-path activities.
· Strong ability to read and fully understand manufacturing-level engineering and assembly drawings and technical specifications.
· Ability to interpret welding symbols and a working understanding of welding, fabrication, machining, and assembly processes.
· Working knowledge of industrial materials, including metals, alloys, piping systems, structural materials, and manufactured components.
· Experience developing material takeoffs, material requirements, or Bills of Materials.
· Strong understanding of how fabricated and assembled products are built and the ability to identify manufacturing sequences and potential bottlenecks.
· Strong organizational, analytical, communication, and problem-solving skills, with the ability to manage multiple projects and competing priorities.
Preferred Qualifications
· Experience in naval, defense, maritime, shipbuilding, nuclear, aerospace, or heavy industrial manufacturing.
· Experience supporting complex build-to-print or engineered-to-order projects.
· Familiarity with government contracting requirements and military specifications.
· Experience with production control, material planning, subcontract coordination, and supplier lead-time analysis.
· Experience with ERP / MRP systems
· Proficiency with Microsoft Office, including Excel, Word, PowerPoint, Outlook, and Teams.
Key Competencies
Manufacturing planning • Production scheduling • Material planning • Technical drawing interpretation • Welding symbol interpretation • Critical-path analysis • Resource and labor planning • BOM and material takeoff development • Risk assessment • Problem solving • Cross-functional coordination • Communication • Attention to detail • Organization
Physical & Work Environment Requirements
· Ability to perform periodic shop-floor walkthroughs and review manufacturing operations in an industrial environment.
· Ability to work in both office and manufacturing environments.
· Ability to lift up to 25 pounds occasionally.