Principal Specialist, Master Scheduler (Onsite)

About the role

The Master Scheduler is responsible for developing, managing, and maintaining the Master Production Schedule (MPS) for a site, value stream, or key program within an Aerospace and Defense (A&D) environment. This role ensures the alignment of customer demand, internal capacity, material availability, and inventory targets across long- and short-term planning horizons. Operating at the intersection of planning, execution, and program management, the Master Scheduler plays a critical role in achieving on-time delivery, revenue goals, and customer satisfaction—while maintaining compliance with strict regulatory and contractual standards.

Responsibilities

• Create and maintain an 18-month rolling Master Production Schedule based on demand forecasts, firm orders, and internal requirements
• Translate customer demand into executable production plans, balancing constraints such as capacity, labor, and materials
• Incorporate make-to-stock, make-to-order, assemble-to-order, and engineer-to-order strategies into schedule logic
• Establish and manage the MPS supply load across all value streams and programs
• Own the supply plan and ensure alignment with the demand plan and financial targets
• Support the Sales, Inventory, and Operations Planning (SIOP/S&OP) process by providing accurate, timely, and feasible schedules
• Perform long-term capacity-to-build (CTB) analysis and scenario planning for pull-ins, customer commits, and late changes
• Define and manage product fulfillment strategies, inventory targets, and stocking policies for finished goods
• Conduct target stock analysis and drive finished goods availability in line with program and business objectives
• Support both revenue and non-revenue requirements (e.g., spares, rework, test inventory)
• Maintain the Recommended Changes File for output plan modifications, and communicate changes in quantity and dollar impact
• Support monthly and quarterly capacity reviews, ensuring assumptions are validated and actionable
• Balance the rate plan across value streams or factory lines to optimize throughput and minimize bottlenecks
• Evaluate the feasibility of new product ramps or high-mix schedules based on capacity, supplier readiness, and resource constraints
• Coordinate with Engineering and Configuration Management to integrate ECOs, ECPs, and NPI builds into the master schedule
• Schedule First Article Inspections (FAIs) and support ramp-up/ramp-down transitions
• Align NPI timelines with customer validation requirements and production readiness
• Track and report key KPIs including Schedule Adherence, Schedule Attainment, On-Time Delivery (OTD), and inventory accuracy
• Provide visibility into schedule variances, risks, and recovery actions
• Support leadership reporting on output plans (quantity/dollars) and deviations from the business plan, production plan, and shipment targets
• Partner with Supply Chain and Procurement to ensure material availability aligns with the schedule
• Proactively address shortages, expedite needs, and support hot parts resolution
• Act as a key liaison between Operations, Program Management, Engineering, Finance, and Contracts teams
• Provide accurate Estimated Completion Dates (ECDs) and maintain communication with stakeholders regarding schedule changes or risks
• Participate in customer reviews, program meetings, and Integrated Product Teams (IPTs)
• Ensure all scheduling activities are compliant with ITAR, FAR/DFARS, AS9100, and internal quality procedures
• Maintain audit-ready schedule history and documentation to support DCMA, government, and customer audits

Qualifications

• Typically requires a University Degree and minimum 5 years prior relevant experience or an Advanced Degree in a related field and minimum 3 years of experience
• U.S. Citizen - The ability to obtain and maintain a U.S. government issued security clearance is required. U.S. citizenship is required, as only U.S. citizens are eligible for a security clearance
• Prior experience in production scheduling
• Prior experience manufacturing environment
• Prior experience of ERPs, MRP, MPS, and SIOP principles

Preferred Qualifications

• Bachelor's degree in Supply Chain, Operations, Business, Engineering, or related field
• Prior experience in production scheduling, supply planning, or operations in an Aerospace & Defense
• Excellent analytical, communication, and organizational skills
• APICS/ASCM certification (CPIM, CSCP)
• Experience with program-based manufacturing and contract deliverables
• Strong working knowledge of configuration management and engineering change control
• Proficiency in tools like Power BI, Tableau, Excel (pivot tables, data modeling)
• Proficiency with ERP systems (e.g., SAP, Oracle, IFS) and advanced planning tools
• Ability to work with export-controlled and/or classified data under U.S. government regulations

Benefits

Some of our competitive benefits packages include:

• Medical, dental, and vision insurance
• Three weeks of vacation for newly hired employees
• Generous 401(k) plan that includes employer matching funds and separate employer retirement contribution, including a Lifetime Income Strategy option
• Tuition reimbursement program
• Student Loan Repayment Program
• Life insurance and disability coverage
• Optional coverages you can buy (pet insurance, home and auto insurance, additional life and accident insurance, critical illness insurance, group legal, ID theft protection)
• Bright Horizons, child and elder care services
• Teladoc Medical Experts, second opinion program
• And more!