Production Planner

About Atlantic Casting & Engineering Corp

Atlantic Casting & Engineering is a world-class manufacturer of precision aluminum investment castings, with over 88 years of experience.  We serve global markets - including aerospace, military, electronics, transportation, and medical industries - by delivering high-precision, geometrically complex cast parts with stringent quality standards.

As a one-stop-shop, we handle casting, CNC machining, finishing (anodize, chem-film, painting), and assembly—providing streamlined solutions and tight integration from design through delivery.  We leverage lean manufacturing, continuous improvement, and modern MRP/ERP tools to drive productivity, minimize lead times, and maintain competitiveness.

Position Summary

As a Production Planner, you will be central to ensuring our operations run smoothly and efficiently. You will develop, monitor, and adjust production schedules in alignment with customer orders, forecasts, and material availability. You will liaise with purchasing, engineering, quality, and production teams to anticipate constraints, respond to changes, and maintain on-time delivery performance.

This role demands analytical thinking, process awareness, strong communication, and the ability to balance multiple priorities in a manufacturing environment.

Key Responsibilities

• Create and maintain the Master Production Schedule (MPS) based on demand (customer orders forecasts) and inventory levels
• Translate the MPS into detailed production orders / job releases within the ERP/MRP system
• Coordinate with Materials / Purchasing to ensure raw materials, components, and tooling are available to meet the production plan
• Continuously monitor Work-In-Process (WIP), downstream operations, and resource constraints
• Proactively adjust schedules to accommodate machine downtime, urgent orders, quality rework, or material shortages
• Collaborate with engineering / tooling / quality to manage changeovers, revisions, and reworked parts
• Track and report production metrics: on-time delivery, throughput, yield, backlog, schedule adherence, etc.
• Identify process bottlenecks or waste, propose and implement continuous improvement initiatives
• Participate in cross-functional meetings (S&OP, weekly reviews, capacity planning, demand review)
• Communicate schedule changes, risks, and status updates to sales, customer service, and production teams
• Ensure planning and production documentation (processes, instructions, change logs) are accurate and up-to-date
• Support lean initiatives, Kaizen events, or Six Sigma projects

Required Qualifications & Skills

• Bachelor’s degree in Supply Chain / Operations Management, Industrial Engineering, Mechanical Engineering, Business, or related field (or equivalent experience)
• 5 years (or more) in production planning, scheduling, or operations within a manufacturing setting
• Strong proficiency in ERP / MRP systems – Epicor strongly preferred
• Advanced Excel skills (pivot tables, data modeling, scenario analysis)
• Excellent analytical, problem-solving, and decision-making abilities
• Strong organizational skills with attention to detail
• Effective verbal & written communication skills; ability to interface across functions and levels
• Ability to manage changing priorities, multi-task, and thrive under pressure
• Familiarity with lean manufacturing, continuous improvement methods, and quality systems
• Experience in metal manufacturing, casting, machining, or high-precision environments is strongly preferred
• Ability to work on-site, occasionally with extended hours or weekend support

Preferred / Bonus Qualifications

• Certification(s) such as CPIM, CSCP, or equivalent in supply chain / production planning
• Experience in aerospace or high-precision parts manufacturing
• Lean / Six Sigma training or certification
• Exposure to demand-forecasting / statistical analysis tools
• Experience working in regulated or certified (e.g. AS9100, ISO9001) environments