Production and Materials Planner

Location:

Austin, TX, US 78752

Work Arrangement:
Onsite

MPG delivers radio frequency (RF) spectrum‑centric solutions at the speed of technology. We enable mission‑critical communications and space‑based missions with ruggedized RF components, subsystems, and turnkey solutions. Civilian, government, military, and commercial customers rely on MPG's deep engineering expertise and scalable manufacturing capability to deliver what they need, when they need it. MPG operates engineering and manufacturing facilities in Austin, TX;
Columbia, MD;
Ventura, CA;
West Chester, OH;
Salisbury, MD;
Santo Domingo, Dominican Republic; and York, United Kingdom.

We are seeking a highly analytical Production and Materials Planner to manage the end-to‑end lifecycle of production orders—from initial design review to final shipment. This role is responsible for aligning material availability with manufacturing capacity, managing system data integrity, and implementing lean flow initiatives (Kanban/Pull) to ensure production moves smoothly. You will act as the critical link between Engineering, Supply Chain, and Production to ensure schedule adherence and operational excellence.

Participate in monthly S&OP cycle and provide necessary inputs to the planning functions.

• S&OP & Forecasting:
  Actively participate in the Sales and Operations Planning (S&OP) process, providing essential data and analysis to improve forecast accuracy and align long‑term production plans with market demand.
• Production Planning & Execution:
  Develop detailed schedules, material requirement lists, and production plans for established and new product lines. Plan and communicate sub‑assembly and finished goods priorities to ensure production goals are clear, including releasing production work orders to the shop floor.
• Operational Flow & Analysis:
  Support the analysis of workflow by conducting studies on capacity, cycle times, takt, and lead times. Implement optimal material flow strategies, including Kanban, batch flow, and pull initiatives.
• Engineering & New Product Launch:
  Prepare for and attend Engineering Design Reviews and New Product Launch meetings. Interface with design engineering to plan the timely completion of development hardware and evaluate delivery dates for new orders.
• Material & Shortage Management:
  Analyze MRP output to determine raw material requirements. Proactively communicate part shortages to the Materials Manager and Buyers prior to Design Reviews and maintain adequate inventory levels (raw, WIP, and finished goods).
• System & Data Integrity:
  Update MRP planning parameters (min/max, safety stocks, lot sizes) and ensure the operating system data is updated in a timely and accurate manner. Monitor actual vs. planned production times and investigate variances.
• Performance Tracking & Communication:
  Facilitate production status meetings and communicate metrics through visual management boards and Gemba walks. Develop Pareto activity charts to provide improvement data to leadership.
• Continuous Improvement:
  Recommend ideas for process and quality improvements, supporting AS9100/ISO
  9001 initiatives and corporate material flow activities.

• Education:
  
  Bachelor’s degree in supply chain, Operations, or related field.
• Technical Expertise:
  Advanced proficiency in MRP/ERP systems and data analysis.
  
  Experience with AS9100 or ISO
  9001 quality standards.
• Lean Methodologies:
  Strong understanding of Lean Manufacturing principles, specifically Kanban, takt time, and production smoothing (Heijunka).
• Analytical
  
  Skills:
  
  Ability to perform complex capacity planning and develop Pareto charts to drive decision‑making.
• Communication:
  Exceptional ability to lead meetings and communicate effectively with all levels of internal and external customers.

Must be able to work in an office environment utilizing a laptop or PC computer most of the time. Reasonable accommodation may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions.

• Stand, walk, and sit throughout the day
• Ability to lift 40 pounds on occasion
• Less than 5% of travel requirements

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