Senior Production Planner/Scheduler

Amptek is a world leader in the design, development, manufacture, and sale of radiation detection components used in X-ray and gamma-ray detection, primarily for X-ray spectroscopy, analytical chemistry, and nuclear and space research.

About the role

This onsite role, based in Bedford, MA, leads production planning and material flow optimization. The Senior Production Planner/Scheduler reports directly to the Materials Manager and serves as the global point of contact for addressing work-in-progress (WIP) discrepancies and aging production orders. The position involves a mix of office, stockroom, clean room, and manufacturing environments, with international collaboration across teams in Finland, US, China, India, and Serbia.

Responsibilities

• MRP & Production Planning
  • Configure, launch, and maintain the MRP system to support production planning and inventory accuracy.
  • Develop and optimize planning parameters (lead times, safety stock, reorder points).
  • Review material requirements through MRP forecasts and initiate commercial action based on current needs analysis and inventory position.
  • Estimate worker hour requirements for job assignments based on production schedules.
  • Regularly review open orders for changes in demand and inventory position; reschedule or cancel orders as needed and update purchase orders.
• Material Flow Optimization/Continuous Improvement
  • Analyze and improve material movement processes on the shop floor to reduce bottlenecks and increase efficiency.
  • Collaborate with production teams to ensure timely availability of materials.
  • Release or modify work orders to establish sequence and lead time to meet shipping dates according to sales forecasts or customer orders.
  • Identify opportunities for process improvement in planning and material handling.
  • Implement best practices for inventory control and production scheduling.
• Global Coordination & Team Collaboration
  • Act as the primary contact for aged jobs and negative WIP across all sites.
  • Drive resolution of discrepancies by working with production, supply chain, and finance teams.
  • Collaborate closely with buyers and supply chain personnel.
  • Interpret specifications and job orders for front-line employees.
• Reporting & Metrics
  • Monitor KPIs related to material availability, WIP accuracy, and planning adherence.
  • Provide regular updates to leadership on progress and challenges.
  • Maintain supplier metrics for quality, delivery, and pricing volatility; escalate supplier issues as necessary.
  • Prepare reports and maintain necessary information and files to enable efficient operation.

Requirements

• Bachelor’s degree in supply chain, operations management, or related field.
• 7+ years of experience in production planning, MRP/ERP systems, and material flow management.
• Experience in the electromechanical or semiconductor industries is a plus.

Skills

• Strong analytical and problem-solving skills.
• Excellent communication and coordination abilities across global teams and organizational levels.
• Proficiency in ERP/MRP systems (SAP, Oracle, Business Central, or similar); previous MRP implementation experience highly desirable.
• Experience with lean manufacturing principles and advanced data analysis capabilities.
• Highly proficient understanding of MRP, JIT, reorder points, Kanban, and VMI consignment processes for inventory control.
• Strong root cause analysis mindset.
• Ability to multitask with strong time and priority management skills.
• Excellent verbal and written (English) communication skills.
• Superior organizational skills and attention to detail.
• Strong proficiency with office productivity applications (Microsoft PowerPoint, Excel, Publisher, Word, Adobe).
• Demonstrated ability and willingness to use AI tools to improve productivity, decision-making, work quality, and reduce cost; ability to identify appropriate AI use cases and critically evaluate AI-generated outputs.

Pay

Salary range: $110,000 – $130,000 USD (salaried, exempt). The actual salary offered will be based on experience, skills, qualifications, market/business considerations, and geographic location.