Sheet Metal Production Planner & Applications Engineer

Actalent; Seattle (WA); On-site; USD 69,000 - 73,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Medical, dental & vision

401(k) Retirement Plan

Life Insurance

Disability coverage

HSA

Job summary

Actalent in Seattle, WA seeks a Production Planning / Application Engineer (Sheet Metal & Assembly) to bridge customers and manufacturing. You will quote, plan production, review BOMs, and advise on DFM to optimize parts and assemblies for fabricating and assembling complex projects.

The role emphasizes crafting production plans, routing sheets, and coordinating with multiple departments to ensure material readiness and schedule adherence.

Qualifications

• 3+ years of manufacturing experience with exposure to production planning, fabrication, or assembly operations.
• Strong knowledge of sheet metal fabrication, assembly processes, and manufacturing workflows.
• Experience reviewing and managing Bills of Materials (BOMs), including multi-level assemblies.
• Proficiency with CAD software and manufacturing preparation tools.
• Ability to read and interpret technical drawings and GD&T.
• Strong analytical skills for cost estimation, labor planning, and capacity planning.
• Understanding of manufacturing documentation, routing structures, and production flow.

Responsibilities

• Review customer requirements, technical drawings, assembly packages, and BOMs to assess project feasibility.
• Generate accurate quotes including material costs, labor estimates, purchased components, and lead times for complex fabrication and assembly projects.
• Provide DFM feedback to optimize parts and assemblies for efficient production.
• Recommend optimal manufacturing processes based on part geometry, material requirements, assembly complexity, cost, and lead time considerations.
• Collaborate with customers to refine designs, specifications, and manufacturing approaches.
• Support the Customer Success team with technical expertise during customer interactions.
• Review and analyze large BOMs to ensure complete and accurate manufacturing planning.
• Develop production plans and routings for sheet metal fabrication, welding, assembly, finishing, and related manufacturing operations.
• Plan and schedule jobs across multiple manufacturing processes to optimize throughput and meet delivery commitments.
• Conduct capacity planning to balance customer demand with available manufacturing resources.
• Estimate labor requirements for fabrication, welding, assembly, and finishing operations.
• Coordinate with fabrication, assembly, purchasing, and manufacturing teams to ensure material availability and production readiness.
• Work with manufacturing managers on production priorities and resource allocation.
• Analyze assemblies and part geometry to determine the most efficient manufacturing approach.
• Evaluate material selection across metals, plastics, and purchased components to support product requirements.
• Identify potential manufacturing challenges and recommend design modifications.
• Assess trade-offs between cost, quality, lead time, and manufacturing complexity.
• Support continuous improvement initiatives to reduce cost, improve quality, and increase manufacturing efficiency.
• Partner with various departments to ensure a smooth transition from quote to production.
• Work with quality teams to define inspection requirements and support first article approvals.
• Coordinate multi-process workflows involving fabrication, welding, assembly, finishing, and outsourced services.
• Support new product introduction (NPI) efforts through manufacturability and assembly reviews.
• Assist Business Development with technical assessments for new projects, capabilities, and manufacturing opportunities.

Skills

Sheet metal fabrication

BOM management

3D CAD

GD&T reading

Production planning

ERP/MRP familiarity

Tools

SolidWorks

Fusion 360

ERP/MRP systems

Job description

Actalent in Seattle, WA seeks a Production Planning / Application Engineer (Sheet Metal & Assembly) to bridge customers and manufacturing. You will quote, plan production, review BOMs, and advise on DFM to optimize parts and assemblies for fabricating and assembling complex projects.

The role emphasizes crafting production plans, routing sheets, and coordinating with multiple departments to ensure material readiness and schedule adherence.