Production Scheduler

Production Scheduler

The Production Scheduler is responsible for translating customer demand, production requirements, and material availability into an executable production schedule for each machine or manufacturing work center.

This role balances demand against available machine capacity, labor, tooling, material, and production priorities to ensure work is scheduled efficiently and customer requirements are achieved. The Machine Load Scheduler works closely with Production, Materials, Manufacturing Engineering, Supply Chain, and Operations leadership to identify capacity constraints, prioritize work, and maintain an accurate forward-looking production plan.

• Translate customer demand, sales orders, forecasts, and production requirements into a detailed production schedule by machine and work center.
• Develop daily, weekly, and monthly machine-loading schedules based on required quantities and due dates.
• Review available machine capacity and compare it against current and future demand.
• Identify overloaded and underutilized machines or work centers and recommend actions to balance production.
• Sequence production orders to maximize machine utilization while minimizing changeovers, setup time, downtime, and production disruptions.
• Coordinate production priorities with Operations, Materials, Manufacturing Engineering, Quality, and Supply Chain.
• Confirm that materials, tooling, programs, fixtures, drawings, and other production requirements are available before scheduling work.
• Monitor actual production performance against the scheduled plan and adjust schedules when conditions change.
• Reschedule production based on equipment downtime, material shortages, quality issues, engineering changes, labor constraints, or changes in customer demand.
• Maintain visibility of machine utilization, available capacity, backlog, and schedule adherence.
• Identify potential capacity constraints early and escalate risks that could impact customer delivery.
• Support capacity planning by providing information regarding required machine hours versus available machine hours.
• Coordinate with Manufacturing Engineering when alternate machines, processes, routings, or additional capacity may be required.
• Maintain accurate planning and scheduling information within the ERP/MRP system.
• Participate in daily production and planning meetings and communicate changes to the production schedule.
• Support continuous improvement activities related to scheduling, machine utilization, throughput, lead time, and production flow.

Experience & Skills:

• Previous experience in production planning, scheduling, manufacturing operations, or materials planning preferred.
• Experience working in a manufacturing environment with multiple machines or work centers.
• Strong understanding of production capacity, cycle times, setup times, routings, and manufacturing constraints.
• Experience using ERP/MRP systems.
• Strong Microsoft Excel skills.
• Ability to analyze production data and translate demand into actionable schedules.
• Strong organizational and problem-solving skills.
• Ability to manage changing priorities in a fast-paced manufacturing environment.
• Strong communication skills and ability to coordinate across multiple departments.
• Experience with machine capacity planning and finite production scheduling.
• Knowledge of Lean Manufacturing principles.
• Understanding of takt time, cycle time, throughput, bottleneck management, and Overall Equipment Effectiveness (OEE).
• Experience developing machine-loading or capacity-planning tools.
• Experience working with CNC equipment, fabrication equipment, machining centers, laser cutters, press brakes, waterjets, or other manufacturing machinery.
• Experience with Business Central, SAP, Oracle, Epicor, or similar ERP systems.

Education:

• Minimum:
  High school diploma or GED
• Preferred:
  Associate's or Bachelor's degree in Supply Chain, Manufacturing, Industrial Engineering, Operations Management, Business, or a related field preferred.

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