How to hire a planner/scheduler

How to hire a planner/scheduler, step by step

Here's a step-by-step planner/scheduler hiring guide:

• Step 1: Identify your hiring needs
• Step 2: Create an ideal candidate profile
• Step 3: Make a budget
• Step 4: Write a planner/scheduler job description
• Step 5: Post your job
• Step 6: Interview candidates
• Step 7: Send a job offer and onboard your new planner/scheduler
• Step 8: Go through the hiring process checklist

What does a planner/scheduler do?

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1. Identify your hiring needs

   The planner/scheduler hiring process starts by determining what type of worker you actually need. Certain roles might require a full-time employee, whereas part-time workers or contractors can do others.

   Determine employee vs contractor status

   Is the person you're thinking of hiring a US citizen or green card holder?

   Yes

   No

   Hiring the perfect planner/scheduler also involves considering the ideal background you'd like them to have. Depending on what industry or field they have experience in, they'll bring different skills to the job. It's also important to consider what levels of seniority and education the job requires and what kind of salary such a candidate would likely demand.

   This list shows salaries for various types of planner/schedulers.

   Type of Planner/Scheduler	Description	Hourly rate
   Planner/Scheduler	Material recording clerks track product information in order to keep businesses and supply chains on schedule. They ensure proper scheduling, recordkeeping, and inventory control.	$23-50
   Inventory Coordinator	An inventory coordinator specializes in overseeing the supply flow of materials in a warehouse or similar setting. It is their responsibility to manage and handle the inventory, ensuring that the quantity and quality of materials align with company standards... Show more	$13-22
   Inventory Control Coordinator	An inventory control coordinator is responsible for monitoring the adequacy of office inventory to ensure that the company has enough supplies to support the employees' needs for business operations. Inventory control coordinators manage supply chain systems, conduct inventory checks regularly, write inventory reports, create purchase requests, and file inventory documents on the database... Show more	$13-22

   Show more

2. Create an ideal candidate profile

   Common skills:

   • Customer Service
   • Production Schedules
   • MRP
   • Preventive Maintenance
   • CMMS
   • Logistics
   • Primavera P6
   • Scheduling Software
   • Purchase Orders
   • Master Schedule
   • ERP
   • Maintenance Management System
   • Work Breakdown Structure
   • Project Controls

   Check all skills

   Responsibilities:

   • Review maintenance backlog and identify work to be accomplish along with PMs and assist in establishing priorities.
   • Design, implement and manage MFCY J2's USG, DOD, Interagency and IC external engagement strategy.
   • Coordinate and manage high visibility and important customer BOM changes.
   • Act as interface between sales/project managers, engineering, manufacturing operations, purchasing and inventory control / logistics.
   • Conduct plant wide safety training per OSHA.
   • Create detail WBS structures and task charge numbers assign budgets.

   More planner/scheduler duties

3. Make a budget

   Including a salary range in your planner/scheduler job description is a great way to entice the best and brightest candidates. A planner/scheduler salary can vary based on several factors:

   • Location. For example, planner/schedulers' average salary in wyoming is 57% less than in california.
   • Seniority. Entry-level planner/schedulers earn 53% less than senior-level planner/schedulers.
   • Certifications. A planner/scheduler with a few certifications under their belt will likely demand a higher salary.
   • Company. Working for a prestigious company or an exciting start-up can make a huge difference in a planner/scheduler's salary.

   Average planner/scheduler salary

   $71,955yearly

   $34.59 hourly rate

   ---

   Entry-level planner/scheduler salary

   $49,000 yearly salary

   Updated January 14, 2026

   Average planner/scheduler salary by state

   Rank	State	Avg. salary	Hourly rate
   1	California	$102,527	$49
   2	Oregon	$90,987	$44
   3	Washington	$77,275	$37
   4	Connecticut	$75,718	$36
   5	Massachusetts	$75,271	$36
   6	Texas	$73,996	$36
   7	Utah	$73,724	$35
   8	New Jersey	$68,471	$33
   9	New York	$68,368	$33
   10	Colorado	$67,901	$33
   11	Pennsylvania	$64,314	$31
   12	Virginia	$60,388	$29
   13	North Carolina	$57,807	$28
   14	Missouri	$57,142	$27
   15	Wisconsin	$56,737	$27
   16	Georgia	$55,601	$27
   17	Illinois	$50,625	$24
   18	Florida	$50,541	$24
   19	Alabama	$49,512	$24
   20	Iowa	$49,191	$24

   Average planner/scheduler salary by company

   Company

   Rank	Company	Average salary	Hourly rate	Job openings
   1	BP America Inc	$130,400	$62.69
   2	ConocoPhillips	$112,824	$54.24	1
   3	Technip USA Corporation	$101,594	$48.84
   4	Bonneville Power Administration	$91,999	$44.23
   5	Enbridge	$91,931	$44.20	7
   6	Amazon	$87,618	$42.12	60
   7	Solectron Corp	$85,106	$40.92	4
   8	Eastman	$84,880	$40.81	1
   9	Hargrove Engineers + Constructors	$84,877	$40.81	1
   10	Coherent	$81,577	$39.22	5
   11	Zoetis	$81,428	$39.15	1
   12	Wacker Chemie	$81,276	$39.08
   13	Bechtel Corporation	$81,247	$39.06	31
   14	Jacobs Engineering Group	$79,254	$38.10
   15	Oshkosh	$78,517	$37.75	5
   16	Chevron	$78,482	$37.73	11
   17	Hospira	$77,977	$37.49
   18	Atec, Inc.	$77,854	$37.43
   19	New York Power Authority	$77,543	$37.28	1
   20	Biomerics	$76,814	$36.93	1

4. Writing a planner/scheduler job description

   A planner/scheduler job description should include a summary of the role, required skills, and a list of responsibilities. It's also good to include a salary range and the first name of the hiring manager. To help get you started, here's an example of a planner/scheduler job description:

   Planner/scheduler job description example

   At least 3-5 years of experience building P6 schedules; prior Data Center experience a plus.

   Experience in design, field planning and progression.

   Advanced knowledge working in Primavera v6.2+

   Understanding of construction management, engineering processes and flow starting from engineering design, process mapping and engineering data structures.

   Basic understanding of 'Critical Path' method and tools used to compute CPM.

   Strong understanding of project costing and management concepts.

   PMI Certification is not required but strongly preferred.

   Strong analytical skills.

   More about this role with Gaea Global Technologies:

   As a professional with Gaea Global, you will be part of the team that will be a key part of a large Enterprise Portfolio and Project Management implementation, training, and project controls using Primavera.

   You must have a detailed understanding of developing and maintaining project plans in a complex engineering & construction environment. You will analyze impacts to project, Impact Analysis, clarify dependencies, constraints, assumptions, evaluate and administer scope change requests. You will formulate and write detailed functional specifications from customer requirements. You will also recommend and design solutions based on Oracle Primavera suite, to solve construction and engineering management problems from an owner's perspective.

   You will be utilizing your knowledge of Construction Management and marrying it up with data analysis to solve problems around Project scheduling, resource, labor and materials management, Risk and Issue mitigation.

   Finally, you will provide ongoing project management & construction management knowledge to our clients.

   Does this sound like you?

   Join us!
   
   This is a full-time salaried position. Gaea Global provides a complete and comprehensive portfolio of excellent benefits to include: Medical/Dental/Vision/Life Insurances, a company-matched 401(k), paid time off and many others.
   
   Please visit our web-site for more information about our company and service offerings.
   
   PLEASE NOTE: You must be a US Citizen or Permanent Resident Green Card holder to be considered. No sponsorships available at this time.
   Employment is contingent on passing a pre-employment criminal background check.

   Copy this example

   

5. Post your job

   There are various strategies that you can use to find the right planner/scheduler for your business:

   • Consider promoting from within or recruiting from your existing workforce.
   • Ask for referrals from friends, family members, and current employees.
   • Attend job fairs at local colleges to find candidates who meet your education requirements.
   • Use social media platforms like LinkedIn, Facebook, and Twitter to reach potential job candidates.

   Post your job online:

   • Post your planner/scheduler job on Zippia to find and recruit planner/scheduler candidates who meet your exact specifications.
   • Use field-specific websites.
   • Post a job on free websites.

6. Interview candidates

   During your first interview to recruit planner/schedulers, engage with candidates to learn about their interest in the role and experience in the field. During the following interview, you'll be able to go into more detail about the company, the position, and the responsibilities.

   It's also good to ask about candidates' unique skills and talents. You can move on to the technical interview if a candidate is good enough for the next step.

   The right interview questions can help you assess a candidate's hard skills, behavioral intelligence, and soft skills.

7. Send a job offer and onboard your new planner/scheduler

   Once you have selected a candidate for the planner/scheduler position, it is time to create an offer letter. In addition to salary, the offer letter should include details about benefits and perks that are available to the employee. Ensuring your offer is competitive is vital, as qualified candidates may be considering other job opportunities. The candidate may wish to negotiate the terms of the offer, and it is important to be open to discussion and reach a mutually beneficial agreement. After the offer has been accepted, it is a good idea to formalize the agreement with a contract.

   It's equally important to follow up with applicants who don't get the job with an email letting them know that the position has been filled.

   After that, you can create an onboarding schedule for a new planner/scheduler. Human Resources and the hiring manager should complete Employee Action Forms. Human Resources should also ensure that onboarding paperwork is completed, including I-9s, benefits enrollment, federal and state tax forms, etc., and that new employee files are created.

8. Go through the hiring process checklist

   • Determine employee type (full-time, part-time, contractor, etc.)
   • Submit a job requisition form to the HR department
   • Define job responsibilities and requirements
   • Establish budget and timeline
   • Determine hiring decision makers for the role
   • Write job description
   • Post job on job boards, company website, etc.
   • Promote the job internally
   • Process applications through applicant tracking system
   • Review resumes and cover letters
   • Shortlist candidates for screening
   • Hold phone/virtual interview screening with first round of candidates
   • Conduct in-person interviews with top candidates from first round
   • Score candidates based on weighted criteria (e.g., experience, education, background, cultural fit, skill set, etc.)
   • Conduct background checks on top candidates
   • Check references of top candidates
   • Consult with HR and hiring decision makers on job offer specifics
   • Extend offer to top candidate(s)
   • Receive formal job offer acceptance and signed employment contract
   • Inform other candidates that the position has been filled
   • Set and communicate onboarding schedule to new hire(s)
   • Complete new hire paperwork (i9, benefits enrollment, tax forms, etc.)

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