Senior Staff Production Planner (Master Scheduler) (R4998)
Shield AI is building the world’s best AI pilot. Our autonomous systems, including V-BAT and Hivemind Enterprise, operate in the most contested environments in the world. As aircraft production scales to meet growing global demand, operational rigor and production discipline are critical to delivering mission-ready systems to customers on time.
We are seeking a Master Scheduler – Aircraft Production to lead integrated production planning, Sales, Inventory & Operations Planning (SIOP), forecasting, and capacity planning across our aircraft manufacturing operations.
The Master Scheduler – Aircraft Production is responsible for developing and governing the master production schedule (MPS) for Shield AI aircraft programs. This role ensures alignment between demand forecasts, SIOP decisions, material availability, manufacturing capacity, and delivery commitments.
You will serve as the central integration point between Production, Supply Chain, Finance, Program Management, and Engineering to ensure scalable, predictable aircraft output.
- Develop and maintain the Master Production Schedule (MPS) for aircraft builds and major subassemblies
- Align build plans with contractual delivery schedules, internal program milestones, and new design cut-ins
- Drive schedule adherence across fabrication, assembly, and test
- Monitor critical path and production constraints to prevent delivery slips
- Co-lead the monthly Sales, Inventory & Operations Planning (SIOP) process
- Reconcile demand forecasts with supply, inventory, and capacity constraints
- Facilitate executive-level SIOP reviews and present scenario analyses
- Drive decision-making around production rate changes, inventory strategies, and resource tradeoffs
- Partner with Business Development, Programs, and Finance to translate bookings and pipeline into rolling demand forecasts
- Maintain 12–24 month production outlooks
- Develop build-rate models to support growth and scaling initiatives
- Conduct what-if analysis based on order timing and customer delivery changes
- Develop and maintain capacity models for manufacturing cells, critical work centers, tooling, and labor
- Identify bottlenecks across production areas
- Support capital planning decisions for facilities, tooling, and automation investments
- Model workforce ramp plans aligned to production rate increases
- Bachelor’s degree in Engineering, Operations, Supply Chain, or related field
- 8+ years of experience in aerospace manufacturing, aircraft production, or complex hardware environments
- Experience with Master Production Scheduling (MPS)
- Demonstrated ownership of SIOP processes in a manufacturing organization
- Strong background in forecasting and demand planning
- Proven experience in capacity modeling and constraint analysis
- Proficiency in ERP/MRP systems (e.g., SAP, Oracle, NetSuite, Costpoint, etc.)
- Strong cross-functional leadership and executive communication skills
- U.S. citizenship and ability to obtain/maintain a security clearance
- Experience in UAV, military aircraft, or aerospace defense production
- Experience scaling production rates in a high-growth environment
- APICS CPIM certification
- Experience with Complex BOMs
- Experience with lean manufacturing and rate-readiness planning
- You think in rates, takt time, and throughput — not just schedules
- You can translate demand volatility into executable production plans
- You are comfortable challenging assumptions in executive forums
- You bring structure and discipline to fast-scaling production environments
- You balance analytical rigor with practical shop-floor execution
At Shield AI, production isn’t just manufacturing — it’s mission enablement. Every aircraft delivered increases operational autonomy in the field. This role sits at the center of scaling that impact.
If you are excited about building predictable, scalable aircraft production systems in support of next-generation autonomy, we want to hear from you.
- How much does the Senior Staff Production Planner (Master Scheduler) (R4998) at Shield AI pay?
- The posting lists a range of $130K–$200K per year. Ranges reflect what Shield AI publicly declared on the source posting.
- Where is this Senior Staff Production Planner (Master Scheduler) (R4998) role based?
- The role is based in Dallas, Texas.
- What experience does Shield AI expect for this role?
- The posting is tagged as a lead-level role, typically 7+ years of experience. Check the requirements section for specifics.
- Where is Shield AI headquartered?
- Shield AI is headquartered in San Diego, USA.
- How was this posting sourced?
- This role was pulled directly from Shield AI's Lever careers site. Apply links open in the employer's own ATS — no reposts or aggregator middleware.
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