Production Planning

About the role

We are seeking a Production Planning / Application Engineer to act as the technical bridge between customers and manufacturing operations. This role involves managing the customer quoting process, production planning, Bill of Materials (BOM) review, and design for manufacturability (DFM) consultation. The ideal candidate will have experience working with sheet metal fabrication and complex assemblies, with the ability to translate customer requirements into executable production plans and manufacturing workflows.

Responsibilities

• Review customer requirements, technical drawings, assembly packages, and BOMs to assess project feasibility.
• Generate accurate quotes including material costs, labor estimates, purchased components, and lead times for complex fabrication and assembly projects.
• Provide design for manufacturability (DFM) feedback to optimize parts and assemblies for efficient production.
• Recommend optimal manufacturing processes based on part geometry, material requirements, assembly complexity, cost, and lead time considerations.
• Collaborate with customers to refine designs, specifications, and manufacturing approaches.
• Support the Customer Success team with technical expertise during customer interactions.
• Review and analyze large Bills of Materials (BOMs) to ensure complete and accurate manufacturing planning.
• Develop production plans and routings for sheet metal fabrication, welding, assembly, finishing, and related manufacturing operations.
• Plan and schedule jobs across multiple manufacturing processes to optimize throughput and meet delivery commitments.
• Conduct capacity planning to balance customer demand with available manufacturing resources.
• Estimate labor requirements for fabrication, welding, assembly, and finishing operations.
• Coordinate with fabrication, assembly, purchasing, and manufacturing teams to ensure material availability and production readiness.
• Work with manufacturing managers on production priorities and resource allocation.
• Analyze assemblies and part geometry to determine the most efficient manufacturing approach.
• Evaluate material selection across metals, plastics, and purchased components to support product requirements.
• Identify potential manufacturing challenges and recommend design modifications.
• Assess trade-offs between cost, quality, lead time, and manufacturing complexity.
• Support continuous improvement initiatives to reduce cost, improve quality, and increase manufacturing efficiency.
• Partner with various departments to ensure a smooth transition from quote to production.
• Work with quality teams to define inspection requirements and support first article approvals.
• Coordinate multi-process workflows involving fabrication, welding, assembly, finishing, and outsourced services.
• Support new product introduction (NPI) efforts through manufacturability and assembly reviews.
• Assist Business Development with technical assessments for new projects, capabilities, and manufacturing opportunities.

Essential Skills

• 3+ years of manufacturing experience with exposure to production planning, fabrication, or assembly operations.
• Strong knowledge of sheet metal fabrication, assembly processes, and manufacturing workflows.
• Experience reviewing and managing Bills of Materials (BOMs), including multi-level assemblies.
• Proficiency with 3D CAD software and manufacturing preparation tools.
• Ability to read and interpret technical drawings and GD&T.
• Strong analytical skills for cost estimation, labor planning, and capacity planning.
• Understanding of manufacturing documentation, routing structures, and production flow.

Additional Skills & Qualifications

• 5+ years of manufacturing experience in fabrication, assembly, or production planning environments.
• Experience in contract manufacturing or customer-facing technical roles.
• Familiarity with Design for Manufacturing (DFM) principles.
• Experience working with ERP/MRP systems and BOM management tools.
• Strong understanding of sheet metal fabrication, welding, assembly, and surface finishing processes.
• Experience supporting low-volume, high-mix manufacturing environments.
• Project management experience managing multiple concurrent projects.
• Proficiency with CAD software such as SolidWorks or Fusion 360.
• Familiarity with assembly documentation, work instructions, routings, and inventory management concepts.
• Strong verbal and written communication skills for customer and cross-functional team interactions.

Pay

The pay range for this position is $50.00 – $53.00/hr. Individual compensation offered within this range will depend on qualifications, skills, relevant experience, job knowledge, geographic location, internal equity, and other pertinent job-related factors.

Benefits

• Medical, dental & vision
• Critical Illness, Accident, and Hospital
• 401(k) Retirement Plan – Pre-tax and Roth post-tax contributions available
• Life Insurance (Voluntary Life & AD&D for the employee and dependents)
• Short and long-term disability
• Health Spending Account (HSA)
• Transportation benefits
• Employee Assistance Program
• Time Off/Leave (PTO, Vacation or Sick Leave)