Principal Production Planning Engineer

About Electra

At Electra, we're building the EL9 - a nine-passenger, hybrid-electric aircraft that takes off and lands in 150 feet. Our Ultra Short technology unlocks thousands of new operating locations and enables what we call Direct Aviation: quiet, point-to-point regional travel that gets people from where they are to where they want to go, without the congestion of major airports or the noise of conventional aviation.

Headquartered in Manassas, VA and backed by Lockheed Martin, Honeywell, and Safran, Electra has filed for FAA Part 23 type certification and holds 2,200+ pre-orders from operators worldwide. We're a team of ≈110 people moving fast toward first EL9 test flights in 2027 and certification by late 2029 or 2030. Every hire matters at this stage - and this role is no exception.

The Role

We're hiring a Principal Production Planning Engineer to own how the EL9 gets built on time, on cost, and at rate. You'll build the production master schedule from first conforming articles through ramp-up, develop and manage the production learning curve model, own the S&OP cadence that ties customer demand to manufacturing capacity, and set the line balance, takt time, and lead time targets the manufacturing organization will execute against. You'll also own recurring and non-recurring cost performance against plan.

This is a planning seat at a moment when there is no plan yet to inherit. You'll partner closely with the Director of Manufacturing Engineering on build plan and tooling readiness, with the VP of Industrialization & Manufacturing Strategy on capacity planning and the digital manufacturing backbone, with the VP of Supply Chain on material availability, and with Programs and Engineering on milestone integration.

What You'll Do

• Build and own the EL9 production master schedule, from prototype through first conforming articles and into rate production
• Apply Critical Chain Project Management (CCPM) and Theory of Constraints principles to manage schedule risk and protect program milestones
• Develop and manage the production learning curve model for the EL9, calibrating assumptions and tracking actuals against plan
• Own the recurring and non-recurring cost (RC/NRC) controls for production, partnering with Finance and the manufacturing organization to track performance and surface variances early
• Define and own production lead time and cycle targets across major assemblies and final assembly
• Lead line balancing and takt time analysis, working with Manufacturing Engineering to translate the build plan into a producible flow
• Build and run the S&OP process, integrating customer demand, supply chain capacity, manufacturing capacity, and engineering readiness into a single operating plan
• Establish the dashboards, metrics, and reporting that connect daily execution to program-level commitments
• Partner with the Director of Manufacturing Engineering on build plan integration and with the VP of Supply Chain on material requirements planning

What You Bring

• 10+ years of production planning, manufacturing development, or related experience in aerospace or another regulated, high-complexity manufacturing sector
• Direct experience building a production master schedule for a new aircraft or comparable complex product - not just maintaining one
• Working fluency with Critical Chain Project Management (CCPM) and/or Theory of Constraints
• Demonstrated ownership of RC/NRC cost controls at the program level
• Experience modeling and managing production learning curves
• Strong S&OP experience, including the operating cadence and the cross-functional integration that makes it work
• Practical knowledge of line balancing, takt time, and lead time analysis
• Comfort operating across the strategic and tactical layers - this role requires someone who can present a multi-year ramp plan to the CEO on Monday and resolve a takt-time problem on the floor on Tuesday
• Bachelor's degree in Engineering, Industrial Engineering, Operations Management, or equivalent experience
• US Person (Citizen or Permanent Resident) required

Bonus Points

• Experience standing up production planning for a clean-sheet aircraft program through Part 23 or Part 25 certification
• Hybrid-electric, electric, or other novel propulsion program experience
• MRP/ERP system fluency (SAP, Oracle, or comparable)
• Lean / TPS / Six Sigma background
• Familiarity with digital factory tools and the data architecture behind production planning
• MBA or equivalent business education

Compensation

$140,000 – $175,000 annually. This range reflects the anticipated hiring range across all eligible locations; actual compensation is determined based on your relevant experience, skills, and geographic location. Total compensation includes performance bonus, equity participation, and comprehensive benefits.

What We Offer

• Medical, dental, and vision insurance; STD, LTD, and life insurance
• 401(k) with immediate vesting
• Generous PTO, company holidays, and a paid winter break
• Free catered lunches, coffee, and snacks at our Manassas headquarters
• The chance to build the production plan for an aircraft program that will change how people and goods move