Expeditor / Manufacturing Planning Specialist

CLEARANCE REQUIREMENTS:
[Department of Defense Secret security clearance is preferred at time of hire.] Applicants selected will be subject to a U.S. Government security investigation and must meet eligibility requirements for access to classified information. Due to the nature of work performed within our facilities, U.S. citizenship is required.

As an Expeditor / Planner for General Dynamics Mission Systems (GDMS) Precision Structures & Optics (PSO) located in Cullman, AL, you’ll be a member of a cross functional team responsible for supporting on-time production and delivery by coordinating the movement of materials, parts, tooling, and work orders through a manufacturing facility. This position monitors production schedules, identifies shortages and delays, and works with Planning, Production, Supply Chain, Quality, Engineering, and Shipping/Receiving to resolve issues affecting workflow. The Expeditor maintains accurate status information and helps ensure materials and documentation are available when needed, while following applicable safety, quality, and material traceability requirements.  At General Dynamics Mission Systems we manufacture Beryllium products for use in the most demanding applications, across the aerospace, defense, and nuclear industries.  Our products are used in high-performance sensing systems for targeting and acquisition, surveillance, and reconnaissance missions, and are hardened for the battlefield environment.

Tasks and Responsibilities

• Monitor work orders, production schedules, and material availability to identify potential delays and support established delivery priorities.
• Track and expedite the movement of raw materials, components, assemblies, and tooling between receiving, stockrooms, manufacturing operations, inspection, and shipping.
• Confirm that required materials, kits, tooling, and manufacturing documentation are available before scheduled production activities.
• Follow up on purchase orders, supplier commitments, and outside processing activities, as assigned, to support production needs.
• Communicate work order status, material constraints, anticipated delays, and recovery actions to appropriate stakeholders.
• Coordinate with Planning and Production to implement approved changes to work priorities and sequencing.
• Maintain accurate transactions, status updates, and records in enterprise resource planning (ERP), manufacturing execution, or other tracking systems.
• Assist with locating misplaced material, investigating inventory discrepancies, and coordinating corrective transactions with authorized personnel.
• Coordinate with Quality personnel regarding material awaiting inspection or disposition; ensure material is not moved into use without required approval.
• Maintain required part identification, lot or serial number traceability, and supporting documentation during material movement.
• Participate in production meetings and provide timely updates on shortages, aging work orders, and delivery risks.
• Escalate unresolved constraints and recommend practical actions to improve material flow and schedule performance.
• Support continuous improvement efforts to reduce delays, unnecessary material handling, and work-in-process bottlenecks.
• Follow facility safety procedures, material-handling requirements, foreign object debris/damage (FOD) prevention practices, and applicable security and export-control requirements.

Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities

• Knowledge of manufacturing workflow, production scheduling, inventory control, and material handling practices.
• Familiarity with aerospace manufacturing environments and the importance of configuration control, documentation accuracy, and material traceability.
• Understanding of work orders, bills of material, production routings, pick lists, and shortage reports.
• Working knowledge of ERP or material requirements planning (MRP) systems.
• Strong organizational, prioritization, and follow-up skills.
• Effective verbal and written communication across departments and organizational levels.
• Proficiency in data entry, spreadsheet applications, and production or inventory tracking systems.
• Problem-solving skills to identify constraints, evaluate options, and coordinate timely resolution.
• Attention to detail when reviewing part numbers, quantities, work order status, and traceability records.
• Interpersonal skills to build productive working relationships and resolve competing priorities.
• Ability to manage multiple work orders and changing priorities in a deadline-driven environment.
• Ability to interpret production schedules, material requirements, and manufacturing documentation.
• Ability to identify delivery risks early and clearly communicate their potential impact.
• Ability to work independently while coordinating effectively with cross-functional teams.

General Dynamics Mission Systems (GDMS) engineers a diverse portfolio of high technology solutions, products and services that enable customers to successfully execute missions across all domains of operation. With a global team of 12,000+ top professionals, we partner with the best in industry to expand the bounds of innovation in the defense and scientific arenas. Given the nature of our work and who we are, we value trust, honesty, alignment and transparency. We offer highly competitive benefits and pride ourselves in being a great place to work with a shared sense of purpose. You will also enjoy a flexible work environment where contributions are recognized and rewarded. If who we are and what we do resonates with you, we invite you to join our high-performance team!

Equal Opportunity Employer / Individuals with Disabilities / Protected Veterans