Senior Master Scheduler II

About the role

Rocket Lab Corporation is seeking a Senior Master Scheduler II to join their operations team based in Long Beach, California. This role is responsible for coordinating and optimizing production schedules across multiple departments to ensure timely delivery of launch vehicles and spacecraft components, while working closely with engineering, manufacturing, and supply chain teams to align production timelines with customer commitments and internal capacity constraints. The Senior Master Scheduler II plays a critical part in maintaining the flow of operations within a high-precision aerospace manufacturing environment and contributes to continuous improvement initiatives aimed at increasing scheduling accuracy and reducing production bottlenecks across the organization. The Senior Master Scheduler II also supports cross-departmental planning efforts and helps identify opportunities to streamline the scheduling process for improved overall efficiency, requiring strong analytical thinking and the ability to prioritize competing demands in a fast-paced production setting.

Key facts

What you'll do

• Coordinate master production schedules across all manufacturing and assembly departments at Rocket Lab Corporation on a daily basis.
• Monitor progress against established timelines and proactively flag potential delays to leadership and relevant project stakeholders.
• Collaborate with engineering teams to understand design changes and technical modifications that may impact production timelines.
• Maintain and update scheduling databases and systems to reflect current project statuses and resource allocations accurately.
• Analyze capacity constraints across production lines and recommend adjustments to meet delivery commitments and customer expectations.
• Support cross-functional planning meetings by providing accurate schedule data, forecasts, and variance analyses to program managers.
• Work with procurement and supply chain partners to align material availability and lead times with production needs.
• Develop contingency plans for schedule disruptions caused by supply chain interruptions or unexpected technical issues.
• Report on key schedule metrics and provide regular updates to program managers and operations leadership.
• Ensure scheduling practices comply with internal quality standards and safety requirements throughout the entire production cycle.
• Assist in the integration of new product introduction timelines into the existing master scheduling framework.
• Coordinate with quality assurance teams to integrate inspection milestones and acceptance criteria into the production schedule.
• Monitor inventory levels and coordinate with warehouse teams to ensure materials are available when needed for production schedules.

Requirements

• Demonstrated experience in production scheduling or operations planning within a manufacturing or industrial environment is required.
• Strong understanding of scheduling methodologies, capacity planning principles, and resource optimization techniques used in production settings.
• Ability to interpret engineering drawings and technical specifications to inform schedule decisions and identify dependencies.
• Excellent organizational skills with careful attention to detail when managing multiple concurrent projects and priorities.
• Effective communication skills for coordinating with diverse technical teams, operations staff, and external partners.
• Proficiency with scheduling software, enterprise resource planning systems, and database management tools is expected.
• Ability to work in a fast-paced environment with shifting priorities and consistently tight delivery deadlines.
• Bachelor's degree in a related field such as engineering, operations management, or supply chain management is required.

Nice to have

• Experience working in aerospace or defense manufacturing sectors is highly valued for this scheduling role.
• Familiarity with lean manufacturing principles and continuous improvement practices in production and operations environments.
• Prior exposure to satellite or launch vehicle production environments and related manufacturing workflows is beneficial.
• Knowledge of enterprise resource planning systems in a scheduling and planning context is advantageous.
• Understanding of quality management systems and regulatory compliance requirements in aerospace and defense manufacturing.

Skills & tools

• Production scheduling software and enterprise resource planning platforms for managing and tracking manufacturing workflows.
• Microsoft Excel and data analysis tools for monitoring schedule performance metrics and generating reports.
• Project management methodologies and workflow coordination techniques used for cross-team planning and execution.
• Supply chain planning and material requirements planning concepts applied in production and manufacturing environments.
• Capacity modeling and resource allocation analysis methods for optimizing production line utilization and throughput.
• Technical reading and interpretation of engineering documentation, drawings, and detailed technical specifications.

Practical notes

• This role is based at Rocket Lab Corporation's primary facility in Long Beach, California.
• The position is full-time and requires regular on-site presence at the Long Beach office location.
• Candidates should expect to work within standard business hours with occasional overtime during peak production periods and program milestones.
• Rocket Lab Corporation is an equal opportunity employer and welcomes applicants from all diverse backgrounds.
• The Senior Master Scheduler II reports to the operations leadership team and supports multiple concurrent programs.