Planner - Engineering and R&D

nLIGHT; Longmont (CO); On-site; USD 120,000 - 140,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

4 weeks Paid Time Off

11 paid Holidays

Employee Stock Purchase Plan

Tuition Assistance Program

100% Health, Vision and Dental Care for Employee

Paid Family Leave

Competitive 401k with company match

Job summary

nLIGHT is seeking a Production Planner for its Longmont, CO location, pertinent to High Energy Laser programs. Ideal candidates will have over 5 years of experience in production planning for complex electromechanical systems, a relevant Bachelor's degree, and excellent competencies in ERP systems like D365. The role offers a competitive salary ranging from $120,000 to $140,000 depending on qualifications. Comprehensive benefits include health insurance, stock purchase plans, and generous PTO.

Qualifications

• Minimum 5 years of experience in production or manufacturing planning.
• Demonstrated ability to manage complex electromechanical systems.
• Ability to interpret engineering drawings and BOMs.

Responsibilities

• Convert engineering release schedules into production plans.
• Plan and manage in-house assemblies and procurements.
• Monitor production progress and communicate updates.

Skills

Production planning

Manufacturing planning

Attention to detail

Cross-functional collaboration

MRP/ERP proficiency

Communication skills

Analysis and problem solving

Education

Bachelor's Degree in Mechanical, Electrical or Optical Engineering

Bachelor's Degree in Operations or related field

Tools

D365

Power BI

Microsoft Project

Job description

Location: Longmont, CO (onsite)

Experience: A minimum of 5 years of experience working in quality engineering with opto-mechanical systems

Minimum Education: Bachelor’s Degree in Mechanical, Electrical or Optical Engineering, or related technical field.

Compensation: $120,000-$140,000 depending upon education, skills, and experience.

Who We Are

nLIGHT-DEFENSE Systems, Inc. is one of the nation’s leading developers of Directed Energy systems, which is a top modernization priority of the Department of Defense. Our High Energy Laser (HEL) systems, Adaptive Optical (AO) systems, and Acquisition / Pointing / Tracking (APT) solutions are designed to overcome the most difficult challenges facing the deployment of high energy laser solutions to the United States military and our allies. Located in Longmont, Colorado, nLIGHT-DEFENSE Systems, Inc. is a vertically integrated business that leverages internal capabilities – from semiconductor device through target identification – to develop systems that are both high-performance and cost-effective. We continue to invest in capabilities, facilities and technology to bring leading edge HEL solutions to the warfighter. This is a great opportunity to work at a company that is on the leading edge of the HEL industry and provides a culture of excellence and commitment to delivering solutions to the warfighter and our country.

Headquartered in Camas, Washington, nLIGHT is a publicly listed company (NASDAQ: LASR).

Summary

Production Planners at nLIGHT-DEFENSE Systems, Inc. play a key role in ensuring the successful and timely execution of High Energy Laser production programs. In this role, you will transform engineering release schedules, technical build requirements, and evolving BOM structures into actionable production and procurement plans. You will manage both in‑house assemblies and out‑of‑house (OOH) buys, coordinating closely with Engineering, Program Management, Procurement, and shopfloor technical teams.

All applicants must possess or be qualified to obtain a U.S. DoD Personnel Security Clearance. Preference will be given to candidates with an existing U.S. DoD Personnel Security Clearance. Further information on requirements to obtain a security clearance is available at: https://www.dcsa.mil/mc/pv/mbi/gicp/.

Responsibilities

• Convert engineering release schedules and evolving BOMs into actionable production plans and procurement requests using ERP and MRP solutions.
• Plan and manage in‑house assemblies and out‑of‑house buys, coordinating material availability across 1 to 2‑year program timelines.
• Develop and maintain task‑level build schedules for technicians, ensuring alignment with overall program milestones.
• Monitor production progress, identify schedule risks, and communicate updates to Engineering, Program Management, and Procurement.
• Coordinate long‑lead part planning, up to 6‑month lead time, to ensure alignment with program schedules.
• Participate in routine cross‑functional cadences, driving schedule adherence, resolving shortages, and supporting shop‑floor execution.

Required Experience / Capability

• Commitment to Excellence. Attention to Detail. Pride in Workmanship.
• Minimum 5 years of experience in production planning, manufacturing planning, or a similar operations role.
• Bachelor’s Degree in a relevant field (Operations, Industrial Engineering, Supply Chain, Business, or similar).
• Demonstrated ability to manage planning for complex electromechanical systems in a development or low‑rate production environment.
• Proficiency with MRP/ERP systems. Experience with D365 and a PLM system is strongly preferred.
• Ability to interpret engineering drawings, BOMs, release packages, and configuration changes.
• Experience coordinating long‑lead procurement activities and aligning plans with multi‑year program schedules.
• Strong communication skills and experience working cross‑functionally with Engineering, Program Management, Procurement, and shop‑floor teams.

Additional Desired Experience / Capability

• Experience using Microsoft Project to build and maintain task‑level and program‑level scheduling.
• Strong Power BI skills for reporting, schedule analytics, and KPI visualization.
• Background in Aerospace & Defense or other regulated, configuration‑controlled production environments.
• Experience planning for electro‑mechanical or opto‑mechanical assemblies.
• Familiarity with engineering change processes (ECOs), MBOM/EBOM alignment, and configuration management principles.

Benefits Summary

• 4 weeks of Paid Time Off per year
• 11 paid Holidays
• Employee Stock Purchase Plan
• Tuition Assistance Program
• Health (ACA Gold Plan), Vision and Dental Care paid by employer 100% for Employee and 75% for Dependents
• Paid Family Leave, Short and Long Term Disability paid by employer 100%
• Competitive 401k with company match and immediate vesting

Equal Opportunity Employer

All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, protected veteran status, disability, or age. For more information about our commitment to equal employment opportunity, please see this government poster: Know Your Rights: Workplace Discrimination is Illegal. If you are an individual with a disability and need a reasonable accommodation in the application or hiring process, please contact Human Resources at [e-mail].