Staff Production Scheduler, Precision Shop

Job Summary
 

The Staff Production Scheduler is a high-impact, multi-faceted role responsible for the end-to-end planning, scheduling, and coordination of the Boston Dynamics precision machine shop. Working across robotic prototype platforms and interfacing directly with Engineering, Manufacturing, Supply Chain, and Quality, this role ensures that machined parts and components are planned, procured, scheduled, and delivered on time to support prototype builds and repair programs.
 

We are seeking an individual who independently applies advanced scheduling methodologies, proactively resolves complex scheduling conflicts, and drives continuous improvement of shop planning tools and processes. This is a hands-on role that requires the ability to wear many hats - from managing vendor relationships and purchase orders to running job progress tracking and interfacing directly with internal customers across Engineering and Operations.
 

Key Responsibilities
 

Scheduling & Production Planning:
 

•Develop and maintain detailed production schedules for precision machined parts, assemblies, and components across multiple robotic prototype platforms, balancing customer demand, machine capacity, and material availability.
 

• Analyze labor, equipment, and tooling requirements in a high-variability, low-volume shop environment to optimize resource utilization and throughput.
 

• Monitor job progress end-to-end: track work orders from intake through completion, identify bottlenecks or at-risk jobs, and drive corrective actions to keep schedules on track.
 

•    Notify engineering and internal customers when parts are complete and ready for pickup; proactively communicate schedule changes, delays, and recovery plans.
 

• Support engineering change management by adjusting production plans for design modifications and new product introductions (NPI).
 

•       Lead evaluation and implementation of new scheduling and planning tools to improve shop visibility, accuracy, and efficiency.
 

•  Manage all shop-related building transfer requests and coordinate logistics for parts movement within and between facilities.
 

Purchasing & Vendor Management:
 

•     Process purchase orders for R&D components, raw materials, tooling, and shop supplies; maintain accurate PO records and documentation.
 

•    Research and qualify reliable suppliers; negotiate favorable pricing, lead times, and delivery terms to meet prototype program requirements.
 

•       Monitor and track purchase order status to ensure on-time delivery; resolve discrepancies, shortages, and quality issues with suppliers promptly.
 

•Build and maintain strong supplier relationships; evaluate performance against quality, delivery, and cost metrics on a regular cadence.
 

•    Coordinate with external suppliers for outsourced operations including heat treat, plating, and finishing; arrange logistics for parts transport to and from local facilities as needed.
 

•       Occasional travel to supplier sites may be required.
 

Job Costing & Budget Management:

•       Track material usage and labor hours for each job; verify accuracy of job cost data and identify discrepancies.

•Work with the accounting team to allocate costs to specific jobs and prepare job cost reports.

• Assist in managing the precision shop’s purchasing budget; monitor spend against budget, identify cost-saving opportunities, and prepare budget forecasts and reports.
 

Internal Customer Interface & Collaboration:
 

•Serve as the primary scheduling and planning point of contact for Engineering, Prototype Operations, and Quality teams; translate program requirements into executable shop schedules.
 

•  Coordinate with procurement, manufacturing, engineering, and program management to ensure schedules align with product development milestones and delivery commitments.
 

•Prepare and communicate schedule performance metrics, capacity reports, and forecasts to stakeholders; surface risks early with clear recommendations.
 

• Collaborate with engineering and quality to understand part requirements, inspection hold points, and acceptance criteria that affect scheduling.
 

Tool Crib & Shop Support:
 

•       Help manage the tool crib: maintain tooling inventory, track usage, and ensure availability of required tooling for scheduled jobs.

•    Build and maintain tool libraries for CAM systems as capacity allows, improving programming efficiency and setup time.

•       Contribute to shop 5S, lean process improvement, and scheduling accuracy initiatives to continuously raise the bar on shop efficiency and on-time delivery.
 

Core Competencies
 

Knowledge, Skills & Abilities:
 

• Proficiency in production planning and scheduling methodologies for high-mix, low-volume manufacturing environments.
 

•       Hands-on experience with ERP/MRP systems (e.g., Rootstock, SAP, Oracle, or equivalent); familiarity with Workday, Arena, Jira, or Salesforce a plus.
 

• Proficient in Google Workspace (Sheets, Docs, Slides) and advanced spreadsheet/data analysis skills; exposure to digital scheduling and advanced planning tools strongly preferred.
 

•       Experience in purchasing, procurement, or vendor management including PO processing, supplier negotiation, and delivery tracking.
 

•       Ability to interpret engineering drawings, BOMs, configurable product structures, and program requirements and translate them into actionable shop schedules.
 

•       Familiarity with machining operations, tooling, and the precision shop production flow including outsourced operations (heat treat, plating, finishing).
 

• Strong organizational, prioritization, and problem-solving skills with the ability to juggle competing demands without dropping the ball.
 

•Excellent communication and interpersonal skills; comfortable interfacing directly with engineers, machinists, vendors, and leadership.
 

•       Familiarity with lean manufacturing principles, 5S, and continuous improvement practices in a shop environment.
 

Typical Qualifications:
 

•      Bachelor’s degree in Supply Chain Management, Operations, Industrial Engineering, or a related technical field - OR - high school diploma with 10+ years of directly relevant experience in a precision manufacturing or machine shop environment.
 

•       3–5+ years of experience in production scheduling, shop planning, or manufacturing coordination; experience in a machine shop, robotics, aerospace