Production Scheduler

Job Title: Production Scheduler

Job Description

The Production Scheduler plays a key role in developing, coordinating, and optimizing manufacturing schedules to meet customer demand, maximize capacity utilization, and support operational efficiency. This position translates forecasts, orders, and inventory objectives into executable production plans, partners closely with cross-functional teams, and drives continuous improvement in scheduling processes and tools.

Responsibilities

• Develop and maintain detailed daily, weekly, and longer-range production schedules based on demand, capacity, material availability, inventory requirements, and business priorities.
• Translate forecasts, customer orders, inventory objectives, and operational requirements into executable manufacturing schedules that support on-time delivery and schedule adherence.
• Determine the appropriate sequence of production activities to maintain an efficient flow of work and materials throughout the facility.
• Optimize production sequencing to improve throughput, reduce unnecessary changeovers, and support schedule attainment.
• Schedule production across multiple manufacturing areas, including production lines, grid-line operations, plating operations, and evaporator manufacturing.
• Evaluate work-center capabilities, production requirements, labor availability, equipment constraints, and material readiness when creating schedules.
• Adjust schedules in response to production interruptions, material shortages, staffing changes, equipment limitations, or shifting priorities.
• Communicate schedule changes, production priorities, and potential risks to supervisors and other affected departments in a timely and clear manner.
• Facilitate regular scheduling discussions to ensure production teams understand current priorities and upcoming requirements.
• Review available labor, equipment, tooling, manufacturing capacity, and production requirements to ensure schedules are realistic and executable.
• Identify bottlenecks, capacity constraints, resource limitations, and production risks before they affect scheduled output.
• Work with production leadership to evaluate alternative scheduling options and determine the most effective use of available resources.
• Develop recommendations that improve capacity utilization, production flow, and overall operational efficiency.
• Support longer-range capacity planning and future production growth initiatives by evaluating different production scenarios and communicating potential operational impacts.
• Help leadership understand when additional resources, schedule changes, or revised priorities may be required.
• Partner with Supply Chain, Materials Planning, Purchasing, and production leadership to confirm materials are available before work is released to production.
• Maintain awareness of material movement and flow throughout the manufacturing process and identify potential material shortages or supply constraints.
• Communicate material risks before they disrupt production and work with internal partners to develop practical mitigation and recovery plans.
• Balance inventory availability with production requirements and operational priorities to support inventory optimization.
• Monitor potential excess, obsolete, or slow-moving inventory risks that may be affected by scheduling decisions and adjust plans accordingly.
• Ensure scheduling priorities are clearly aligned with the physical availability of materials and components.
• Serve as a primary scheduling contact for Operations, Supply Chain, Materials, Purchasing, Logistics, Customer Service, Engineering, and other internal departments.
• Build productive working relationships with production supervisors and employees across shifts and gather input from experienced team members while maintaining accountability for scheduling decisions.
• Provide clear recommendations when production demands, material considerations, or operational priorities conflict, and communicate significant risks that could affect production performance, inventory levels, or delivery requirements.
• Participate in production planning, operational review, demand review, and continuous improvement discussions, influencing operational decisions through scheduling knowledge, production data, and well-supported recommendations.
• Provide internal stakeholders with timely and accurate information regarding production status, scheduling priorities, and potential constraints.
• Help establish and refine the production scheduling function within a growing manufacturing team.
• Evaluate existing scheduling practices and identify opportunities to improve efficiency, consistency, and communication.
• Develop structured scheduling processes, tools, documentation, and standard work to support repeatable and scalable operations.
• Monitor schedule performance and recommend corrective actions when production plans are not achieved.
• Support Lean manufacturing and operational excellence initiatives and partner with operations and continuous improvement leadership to streamline production flow.
• Participate in root-cause analysis and cross-functional problem-solving activities related to scheduling, materials, and production performance.
• Improve the use of ERP or MRP systems, scheduling tools, and production data to enhance planning accuracy and responsiveness.
• Use operational information and performance trends to make data-driven recommendations that strengthen scheduling practices and overall manufacturing performance.

Essential Skills

• Three or more years of experience in production scheduling, production planning, materials coordination, supply chain planning, manufacturing operations, or a closely related field is preferred.
• Demonstrated experience supporting a manufacturing or production environment.
• Proven experience creating or maintaining production schedules based on capacity, materials, equipment, labor, and operational priorities.
• Experience working with ERP or MRP systems to manage production planning and scheduling activities.
• Experience coordinating across Operations, Supply Chain, Purchasing, Materials, Logistics, or related departments.
• Understanding of production scheduling, production sequencing, manufacturing workflows, and material movement.
• Proficiency with Microsoft Excel, including spreadsheets, reporting, data analysis, and pivot tables.
• Ability to manage production scheduling, schedule planning, and planning processes to support schedule adherence and on-time delivery.
• Knowledge of inventory management and material management principles and how they relate to production planning.
• Ability to use ERP systems and other planning tools to support effective production scheduling.
• Strong communication and collaboration skills to work effectively with cross-functional teams.
• Ability to identify and address capacity constraints, bottlenecks, and production risks.

Additional Skills & Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree in Supply Chain Management, Operations Management, Business Administration, Engineering, or a related field is preferred.
• Relevant professional experience may be considered in place of a degree.
• APICS CPIM, CSCP, or comparable supply chain or operations certifications are preferred but not required.
• Exposure to capacity planning, inventory optimization, Sales and Operations Planning (S&OP), or operational improvement initiatives.
• Experience with SAP or similar ERP systems for planning and scheduling.
• Proficiency with Microsoft Office, including the use of Microsoft Excel for advanced reporting and analysis.
• Experience in different manufacturing industries with transferable production planning, materials flow, and scheduling experience.
• Familiarity with Lean manufacturing and continuous improvement methodologies.
• Ability to interpret and use production data and performance trends to support decision-making.

Work Environment

This role is based in a manufacturing environment and supports first shift operations, Monday through Friday. Typical hours are either 6:00 a.m. to 2:00 or 7:00 a.m. to 3:00 p.m., with some flexibility depending on production needs. The position involves close collaboration with production lines, grid-line operations, plating operations, and evaporator manufacturing areas, working with ERP and MRP systems, planning tools, and Microsoft Office applications. The work environment emphasizes cross-functional teamwork, clear communication, and continuous improvement to support efficient production flow and reliable on-time delivery.

Job Type & Location

This is a Contract to Hire position based out of Manitowoc, WI.

Pay and Benefits

The pay range for this position is $33.65 - $38.46/hr.

Individual compensation offered for this position within this range will depend on many factors, including qualifications, skills, relevant experience, job knowledge, geographic location, internal equity, and other pertinent job-related factors.

Eligibility requirements apply to some benefits and may depend on your job
classification and length of employment. Benefits are subject to change and may be
subject to specific elections, plan, or program terms. If eligible, the benefits
available for this temporary role may include the following:

• 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)

Workplace Type

This is a fully onsite position in Manitowoc,WI.

Application Deadline

This position is anticipated to close on Oct 6, 2026.

About Aston Carter

Aston Carter provides world-class corporate talent solutions to thousands of clients across the globe. Specialized in accounting, finance, human resources, talent acquisition, procurement, supply chain and select administrative professions, we extend the capabilities of industry-leading companies. We draw on our deep recruiting expertise and expansive network to meet the evolving needs of our clients and talent community with agility and excellence. With offices across the U.S., Canada, Asia Pacific and Europe, Aston Carter serves many of the Fortune 500. We are proud to be a ClearlyRated Best of Staffing® Platinum Award winner for both client and talent service.

The company is an equal opportunity employer and will consider all applications without regard to race, sex, age, color, religion, national origin, veteran status, disability, sexual orientation, gender identity, genetic information or any characteristic protected by law.

If you would like to request a reasonable accommodation, such as the modification or adjustment of the job application process or interviewing process due to a disability, please email [email protected] for other accommodation options.

San Francisco Fair Chance Ordinance: Pursuant to the San Francisco Fair Chance Ordinance, for all positions located in the city and county of San Francisco, we will consider for employment qualified applicants with arrest and conviction records.

Massachusetts Lie Detector: It is unlawful in Massachusetts to require or administer a lie detector test as a condition of employment or continued employment. An employer who violates this law shall be subject to criminal penalties and civil liability.

Use of Artificial Intelligence (AI): We may use Artificial Intelligence (AI) to support parts of our hiring process, including sourcing, screening, and evaluating candidates. AI helps assess applications and qualifications, but final decisions are made by our hiring team. By applying, you acknowledge and agree that your application may be reviewed using AI tools.