Production Planner

Location

Longmont, CO (onsite)

A minimum of 5 years of experience working in quality engineering with opto‑mechanical systems.

Bachelor's Degree in Business Administration or a related field is required.

$120,000 – $140,000 depending on education, skills, and experience.

nLIGHT‑DEFENSE Systems, Inc. is one of the nation's leading developers of Directed Energy systems, a top modernization priority of the Department of Defense. Our High Energy Laser (HEL) systems, Adaptive Optical (AO) systems, and Acquisition / Pointing / Tracking (APT) solutions are designed to overcome the most difficult challenges facing the deployment of high energy laser solutions to the United States military and our allies.

Located in Longmont, Colorado, nLIGHT‑DEFENSE Systems, Inc. is a vertically integrated business that leverages internal capabilities—from semiconductor device through target identification—to develop systems that are both high‑performance and cost‑effective. We continue to invest in capabilities, facilities, and technology to bring leading‑edge HEL solutions to the warfighter. Headquartered in Camas, Washington, nLIGHT is a publicly listed company (NASDAQ: LASR). This is a great opportunity to work at a company that is on the leading edge of the HEL industry and provides a culture of excellence and commitment to delivering solutions to the warfighter and our country.

Production Planners at nLIGHT‑DEFENSE Systems, Inc. play a key role in ensuring the successful and timely execution of High Energy Laser production programs. In this role, you will transform engineering release schedules, technical build requirements, and evolving BOM structures into actionable production and procurement plans. You will manage both in‑house assemblies and out‑of‑house (OOH) buys, coordinating closely with Engineering, Program Management, Procurement, and shop‑floor technical teams.

All applicants must possess or be qualified to obtain a U.S. DoD Personnel Security Clearance. Preference will be given to candidates with an existing U.S. DoD Personnel Security Clearance. Further information on requirements to obtain a security clearance is available at: https://(Use the "Apply for this Job" box below)..

• Convert engineering release schedules and evolving BOMs into actionable production plans and procurement requests using ERP and MRP solutions.
• Plan and manage in‑house assemblies and out‑of‑house buys, coordinating material availability across 1 to 2 year program timelines.
• Develop and maintain task‑level build schedules for technicians, ensuring alignment with overall program milestones.
• Monitor production progress, identify schedule risks, and communicate updates to Engineering, Program Management, and Procurement.
• Coordinate long‑lead part planning, up to 6 month lead time, to ensure alignment with program schedules.
• Participate in routine cross‑functional cadences, driving schedule adherence, resolving shortages, and supporting shop‑floor execution.

• Commitment to Excellence, Attention to Detail, Pride in Workmanship.
• Minimum 5 years of experience in production planning, manufacturing planning, or a similar operations role.
• Bachelor's Degree in a relevant field (Operations, Industrial Engineering, Supply Chain, Business, or similar).
• Demonstrated ability to manage planning for complex electromechanical systems in a development or low‑rate production environment.
• Proficiency with MRP/ERP systems. Experience with D365 and a PLM system is strongly preferred.
• Ability to interpret engineering drawings, BOMs, release packages, and configuration changes.
• Experience coordinating long‑lead procurement activities and aligning plans with multi‑year program schedules.
• Strong communication skills and experience working cross‑functionally with Engineering, Program Management, Procurement, and shop‑floor teams.

• Experience using Microsoft Project to build and maintain task‑level and program‑level scheduling.
• Strong Power BI skills for reporting, schedule analytics, and KPI visualization.
• Background in Aerospace & Defense or…