Planner - Electrical Engineering and R&D

Production Planners at nLIGHTDEFENSE 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 inhouse assemblies and out of house (OOH) buys, coordinating closely with Engineering, Program Management, Procurement, and shopfloor technical teams. 

• →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 other regulated, configuration‑controlled production environments. 
• Experience planning for electro‑mechanical or opto‑mechanical assemblies. 
• Familiarity with engineering change processes (ECOs), MBOM/EBOM alignment, and configuration management principles.