Production Planning Support Engineer - Planner

Production Planning Support Engineer (Planner)

Purpose:

Steel America, a business unit of Colonna’s Shipyard, is seeking a highly analytical and organized Production Planning Support Engineer (Planner) to support steel fabrication and manufacturing project planning at our Norfolk, VA headquarters. This role is responsible for developing and managing detailed production schedules, coordinating material and resource requirements, and optimizing workflows to meet complex manufacturing demands.

Additionally, the Production Planning Support Engineer ensures that equipment, personnel, and materials are effectively aligned to support efficient production output. The role requires close collaboration with Quality Assurance, Manufacturing, Purchasing, Engineering, and Materials teams and plays a critical role in maintaining visibility into production status, capacity, and work-in-progress. The position is located onsite in Norfolk VA and may require hours beyond a standard work week to support business operations, as needed.

Position may require limited travel.

• Project Execution Planning
  • Breaks larger projects into management work packages (tasks/phases), defines project scope, estimates resources (labor, materials, budget), establishes timelines & milestones, and support progress tracking
  • Establishes detailed project execution plan and the development of overall project engineering budgets and supports scheduling functions
  • Reviews and approves design documents, change orders, material requisitions and specifications for construction or procurement use
  • Prepares work packages
  • Monitor and adjust schedules to account for changing priorities, material availability, and production constraints
  • Ensure production plans align with capacity, labor availability, and equipment utilization
• Material Coordination & Flow Control
  • Coordinate material flow to ensure timely availability of components and raw materials to support production schedules
  • Manage and monitor inventory levels to align with production requirements
  • Work closely with materials, logistics, and purchasing teams to identify risks or shortages
  • Manage material readiness and availability for execution
• Resource Management
  • Coordinate and schedule equipment and personnel to meet production demands
  • Support capacity and capability analysis to improve production planning accuracy
  • Identify inefficiencies or bottlenecks and recommend corrective actions
• Interdepartmental Collaboration
  • Serve as a key liaison between Manufacturing, Quality Assurance, Purchasing, Engineering, and Materials teams
  • Translate engineering drawings and specifications into executable production plans
  • Support shop floor operations by ensuring planning data is accurate and actionable
• Reporting, Analysis & Problem Solving
  • Track and report work-in-progress (WIP), production status, and schedule adherence
  • Advise management on work status, material availability, and potential production issues while identifying potential risks
  • Assist with capacity, workload, and performance analysis
  • Support continuous improvement initiatives through data-driven recommendations
• Work Order Management
  • Prepare and manage production work orders and planning documentation
  • Generate internal purchase requests for components or services, as required, in coordination with purchasing

• Position requires bachelor’s degree in engineering (Industrial, Mechanical, Manufacturing, or related field) and at least 5 years relevant experience. Additional experience may be considered in lieu of degree.
• Experience must include engineering‑centric support of production planning, including support for logistics, purchasing, material management, and production processes.
• Must have strong knowledge of Microsoft Office suite – specifically Excel, Word, Outlook.
• Must have knowledge, understanding, and experience in manufacturing processes, production planning, bill of materials, shop floor controls and costing principles.
• Must be able to read and interpret technical documents, to include production drawings.
• Must have experience using CAD software (AutoCAD or similar)
• Must have experience within the construction and/or maritime industry
• Must have…