Senior Materials Production Planner (DRT)

Thales Defense & Security, Inc. (TDSI) Headquartered in Clarksburg, MD, is a U.S. company that has been serving domestic and international defense Air, Land and Sea domains for 60+ years. With over 1,000 employees, TDSI and its four subsidiaries (Advanced Acoustic Concepts, Digital Receiver Technology, Tampa Microwave, and Trusted Cyber Technologies), supports U.S. Joint Services, special operations forces and multi-national partners with a variety of communication, visualization, signal intelligence/electronic warfare, and sensor/sonar capabilities. TDSI’s key technologies include tactical handheld radios, expeditionary satellite terminals, helmet-mounted displays, optics and target recognition capability, advanced radars, undersea sensing and missile systems. Lives depend on what we do!

Top Benefits (Subject to terms of applicable policies/plans)

• Competitive Salary
• Yearly Incentive Compensation Plan
• Medical insurance for self and eligible family members
• Generous 401(k) program- up to 7% company contribution and 100% immediate vesting
• Tuition Reimbursement
• Paid wellness, vacation, and holiday leave
• Paid maternity, paternity, and parental leave
• 9/80 Work Schedule (every other Friday off)

We’re seeking a detail‑driven Senior Materials Production Planner out of our Germantown, MD campus in support of our DRT (Digital Reciever Technology) operations. This hire will lead end‑to‑end production planning across internal operations and contract manufacturers (CMs). This role owns the MRP planning cycle, materials forecasting, and supply plan alignment to customer demand, ensuring on‑time delivery, optimal inventory levels, and smooth execution of new product introductions. You’ll be the central point of coordination between Procurement, Manufacturing, Quality, Engineering, and our CM partners.

Responsibilities

• Translate the master production schedule into executable work orders and run/interpret MRP to manage materials requirements.
• Develop 3/6/12‑month materials forecasts that incorporate demand, lead times, and capacity constraints.
• Balance supply and demand to meet service levels while minimizing excess, obsolescence, and inventory risk.
• Serve as the primary planning contact for CMs—communicating build plans, kit dates, material readiness, and changes.
• Monitor CM capacity and schedule adherence; escalate risks and drive recovery plans when needed.
• Maintain accurate planning parameters (lead times, safety stock, lot sizes, BOMs, routings, item masters) and validate MRP exceptions.
• Support S&OP, NPI readiness, and engineering changes with supply plans, risk assessments, and mitigation strategies.
• Build and track planning KPIs, lead continuous improvement efforts, and standardize processes while training junior planners.

Qualifications

The requirements listed below are representative of the knowledge, skill, and/or ability required. Reasonable accommodation may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions.

• U.S. Citizenship required. -Applicants selected may be subject to a government security investigation and must meet eligibility requirements for access to classified information.
• Bachelor’s degree in Supply Chain, Industrial Engineering, Operations Management, or related field preferred.
• 10 years' of experience with a minimum of 5 years' experience in production environment required.
• Proven experience interfacing with contract manufacturers and external suppliers.
• Advanced proficiency with MRP/ERP systems (e.g., CostPoint, SAP) and planning parameters.
• Strong materials forecasting skills: demand planning, safety stock modeling, and scenario analysis.
• High proficiency in Excel.
• Solid understanding of BOM structures, routings, lead times, capacity planning, and shop floor control.
• Excellent communication, stakeholder management, and negotiation skills; comfortable leading cross‑functional forums.
• Demonstrated ability to manage multiple priorities and deliver under tight timelines.
• Ability to comply with all Company guidelines, policies, procedures and embrace Company Core Values.

The annualized pay range for this role is $90,000- $115,000 USD along with a target incentive compensation plan (ICP) of 5%. The pay range provided is a good faith estimate representative of the experience for the role described above. TDSI considers several factors when extending an offer, including but not limited to, the role, function and associated responsibilities, a candidate’s work experience, location, education/training, and key skills.

For specific questions about this job posting, candidates may contact talent acquisition at careers@thalesdsi.com.

Thales Defense & Security, Inc. is committed to non-discrimination as applicable under federal, state and local laws. We are an E-Verify Employer.

If you need an accommodation or assistance in order to apply for a position with Thales Defense & Security, Inc., please call Human Resources at 240-864-7000.

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