Northrop Grumman's Mission Enabling Products organization designs, manufactures and operates small and medium-class spacecraft for communications, imaging, scientific, exploration and national security space applications. The Group is leading supplier of space components that power and enable satellites of all classes, provides technical engineering services to government agencies and laboratories, and is developing exciting new satellite servicing and advanced space flight technologies.
Our San Diego, CA location is seeking a Sr Principal Production Planner & Scheduler for 1st shift to join our team.
This role is distinguished from a standard planning position by its elevated scope, including greater ownership of complex programs, strategic execution, cross-functional coordination and leadership in resolving high impact planning challenges.
Responsibilities are expected to be performed at an advanced/mastery level, demonstrating expert knowledge, sound judgement, and the ability to independently lead complex planning activities.
Responsibilities include:
- Perform work order variance analysis and review MRP execution and ensures accuracy of information, reconciles supply and demand, validates master scheduling requirement.
- Performs risk analysis, identifying and resolving critical path and MRP logic conflicts.
- Analyzes risks to identified solutions and bottlenecks, including forward and reverse scheduling methods, for schedule recovery.
- Planner must understand manufacturing capacity and allocate as required to meet build plan commitments. Expedites and reschedules open purchase orders to suit production-planning requirement.
- Create and release manufacturing orders based on bill-of-materials and configuration. Close work orders after sub-assemblies, ensure assemblies and integration are complete.
- Track material shortages for manufacturing orders, kits, sub-assemblies based on bill-of-material or drawings/configuration. Communicate to program team and management critical part shortages that will jeopardize ship schedule.
- Maintain inventory including shelf-life sensitive material and tooling for the program.
- Coordinates and expedites flow of materials, parts, and assemblies between departments, according to manufacturing schedules or priorities, and compiles and maintains manual or computerized record.
- Prepares purchase requests for the purchase of components or parts based on a master production schedule, shop load, and inventory requirements.
- Update Work Orders based on Engineering Change Orders (ECOs).
- Participate in scheduling reviews with Operations management and provide support to the manufacturing program management, global supply chain, and operations scheduling teams
Job Description:
- Analyzes all scheduling reports including capacity base on work breakdown schedule; material requirements list and production plans for work centers.
- An understanding of how a Bill of Materials is developed and managed through the product life cycle, including identifying make and buy parts and revision control of parts.
- Must understand & execute material requirements planning (MRP), capacity planning and other advanced material planning needs
- Advises management of the status of work in progress, material availability and production problems to ensure that personnel/equipment, materials, and services are provided as needed; confirms material supply and demands.
Basic Qualifications:
- Bachelor’s degree and minimum 8 years of relevant work experience in a production control and manufacturing environment utilizing an MRP system required. In lieu of degree, 12+ years of related work experience will be considered.
- Must have experience in rescheduling, canceling, opening and closing manufacturing orders per MRP.
- Strong computer literacy using an ERP system and Microsoft Office (Word, Excel, PowerPoint and Outlook).
- Experience in low-volume, high-mix manufacturing.
- Must have the ability to lift up to 25 lbs. as well as walk or stand for extended timeframes
- US Citizenship required.
Preferred Qualifications:
- Strong analytical skills with the ability to work under pressure and very tight timelines.
- Strong written and verbal communication skills.
- Lean / Six Sigma Green or Black Belt certification a plus.
Skills Required
- Bachelor's degree (or 12+ years related experience in lieu)
- Minimum 8 years relevant production control/manufacturing experience using an MRP system
- Experience rescheduling, canceling, opening and closing manufacturing orders per MRP
- Understanding and execution of MRP, capacity planning, and advanced material planning
- Understanding of Bill of Materials development and revision control
- Experience updating work orders based on Engineering Change Orders (ECOs)
- Strong computer literacy with ERP systems and Microsoft Office (Excel, Word, PowerPoint, Outlook)
- Experience in low-volume, high-mix manufacturing
- Ability to lift up to 25 lbs and walk/stand for extended timeframes
- U.S. Citizenship required
- Strong analytical skills and ability to work under tight timelines
- Strong written and verbal communication skills
- Lean / Six Sigma Green or Black Belt certification
Northrop Grumman Compensation & Benefits Highlights
The following summarizes recurring compensation and benefits themes identified from responses generated by popular LLMs to common candidate questions about Northrop Grumman and has not been reviewed or approved by Northrop Grumman.
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Retirement Support — 401(k) matching is considered strong, with additional defined-benefit coverage for certain cohorts and options like catch-up contributions. Retirement programs are repeatedly highlighted as a core strength of the total rewards.
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Leave & Time Off Breadth — PTO, company-paid holidays, and compressed work schedules (such as 9/80) provide meaningful time away and flexibility. These scheduling options are cited as a major quality-of-life benefit across many locations.
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Parental & Family Support — Paid parental leave alongside caregiver leave, adoption assistance, and back-up care supports a range of family needs. These programs have been expanded recently, signaling continued investment in family support.
Northrop Grumman Insights
What We Do
We are a close-knit community of big thinkers collaborating to keep the world safe. Our passion, creativity and expertise bring next-level technology solutions to life in autonomous systems, cyber, C4ISR, strike, space, and logistics and modernization for our customers around the globe. On the Northrop Grumman team, you’ll join our pursuit of excellence immersed in a dynamic culture of innovation and respect. Your unique perspective will help achieve our shared vision for the future of global security. Every step of the way, you'll be supported by world-class training, employee resource groups and a comprehensive benefits package that enables greater health and happiness for you and your family. Worldwide and across disciplines, we’re challenging what’s possible for technology to protect people and places from undersea to outer space and into cyberspace. And we see the impact of our performance every day. We are Northrop Grumman, and we work on what matters—now, you too can make a difference. Explore opportunities in engineering, IT, manufacturing, business management, cybersecurity and more with us. Northrop Grumman is committed to hiring and retaining a diverse workforce. We are proud to be an Equal Opportunity/Affirmative Action Employer.

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