manual machinist

fueler

Tyonek Native Corporation

What is the best part of working at the company?
I accepted this role expecting a senior-level facility management position focused on coordination, infrastructure oversight, vendor management, CE interface management, project execution, and mission-critical operations support within a secure government environment.

There were positives:

Exposure to high-visibility mission-critical infrastructure
Important operational environments supporting SCIF and data center operations
Opportunities to identify and drive infrastructure improvements
Valuable experience working around complex government processes and facility systems

However, prospective candidates should clearly understand the realities of the position and organizational structure before accepting the role.

What is the most stressful part about working at the company?
The largest issue was a persistent mismatch between the advertised/senior-level expectations of the role and the day-to-day operational expectations that evolved over time. Responsibilities increasingly shifted from facility management and operational oversight into direct manual labor and maintenance tasks that would normally align more closely with technician or self-help functions.

Concerns repeatedly raised included:

Scope creep and changing expectations after hire
Reduction of management authority and operational autonomy
Ambiguity between the PWS, job description, and actual expectations
Inconsistent communication regarding role responsibilities
Pressure to absorb responsibilities without corresponding staffing, compensation, or authority
Difficulty obtaining alignment between HR, program leadership, and operational reality
Reactive rather than strategic handling of facility issues
Significant reliance on a single individual for critical facility coordination
Repeated failures in communication and routing chains between both the contract holder and customer organizations
Important emails, escalation concerns, and operational requests frequently going unanswered or unresolved
Little practical ability to move projects forward or implement meaningful facility improvements despite identified operational risks
Leadership reluctance to utilize available contract vehicles or external support mechanisms to complete even straightforward work scopes, resulting in avoidable strain being pushed onto individual personnel instead of properly resourcing solutions

The environment often felt heavily documentation-driven and defensive rather than collaborative. Employees working in highly technical or mission-critical roles may find themselves carrying substantial operational responsibility without equivalent organizational support or decision-making authority.

For candidates considering this position:

Clarify the exact scope of duties in writing before accepting
Ask specifically about expectations for manual maintenance work
Verify escalation authority and operational decision authority
Understand after-hours/on-call expectations
Request clarity on staffing support and workload distribution
Ensure the compensation aligns with both technical expectations and operational burden

What is the work environment and culture like at the company?
The work environment was highly reactive, understaffed, and heavily dependent on individual personnel absorbing operational gaps without corresponding authority or support. Communication between contractor leadership and the customer environment was frequently inconsistent, with important emails, escalation requests, and project coordination efforts often going unanswered or stalled.

Despite supporting mission-critical infrastructure and secure operational environments, there was little practical ability to move projects forward or implement meaningful facility improvements. Leadership routinely avoided utilizing available contract vehicles or external support mechanisms to resolve even straightforward facility issues, which resulted in additional strain being pushed onto the individual supporting the environment.

Over time, the role drifted significantly away from senior facility management responsibilities into unsupported technician-level and manual labor expectations, despite repeated concerns being raised regarding scope alignment, staffing, and operational support.

The culture often felt defensive and documentation-driven rather than collaborative or solution-oriented. Personnel were frequently expected to carry responsibility for facility outcomes without having the authority, staffing, or organizational backing necessary to effectively manage them.


What is a typical day like for you at the company?
A typical day involved balancing mission-critical facility coordination, infrastructure troubleshooting, vendor management, CE work task follow-up, project tracking, and customer support across secure operational environments with very limited organizational support.

Much of the day was spent attempting to push stalled projects, follow up on unanswered emails, coordinate between multiple disconnected parties, and work around ineffective routing chains between contractor leadership and the customer environment. Significant time was also spent documenting issues, building escalation packages, and attempting to move known infrastructure concerns through processes that often lacked urgency or accountability.

Although the role was presented as a senior facility management position, day-to-day expectations increasingly shifted into hands-on technician and manual labor responsibilities without corresponding staffing, authority, or resources. This created a constant disconnect between operational responsibility and actual ability to execute corrective actions effectively.

The environment was highly reactive, with recurring pressure to solve immediate problems while larger systemic issues and facility risks remained unresolved.

Typical day:
Review night shift work pass down, review flight schedule and maintenance support request schedule.  Review and prioritize schedule and non-scheduled work based on other aircraft commitments. Review current parts requisition for approval, monitor pending parts issue, and shipment dates. Coordinate aircraft availability through test coordinators and test engineers. Work up cost estimates for pending test support. Monitor aircraft time change components and scheduling. Review next day’s flight schedule for conflict in testing and ongoing maintenance requirements. 
What I learned:
Being exposed to many different aviation platforms, I have come to learn different system and the different requirements they all have.
Management:
I work with a complex group that requires finesse to balance the needs of the testing director and the needs of the maintenance supervisor. 
Co-workers:
My co-workers are a group of individuals that work as a team to coordinate countless of support request and information. They have the responsibility to communicate with the customer and relay their wants and needs to me as the production Control Officer.
Hardest part of the job:
Making everyone happy. The ability to coordinate 61 aircraft, 57 mechanics and the countless number of parts arriving and departing on a daily bases, while still meeting the testing requirements are the most difficult.  Testing never works in the requirement for any aircraft maintenance needed so juggling the two is a task in its own. 
The most enjoyable part of my job:
Seeing an aircraft or piece of equipment go through testing and come out knowing that in the future  it will be used by the Armed Services and that I was a small part of it.

A typical day at work would consist of Greeting customers, setting up conference calls and maintaining schedule of conference rooms, and calendar in SharePoint, also schedule meetings. Other responsibilities, office supply orders, service calls, meter readings and general administration duties which included photocopying, filing, binding etc. Dealing with all enquiries as the receptionist: answered, screened, and direct calls, responsible for inner office and outgoing mail, monitor facsimile machine, notifying recipient when message is received. Data entry into internal systems to keep current telephone listing of employees. Also assisted Marketing manager in various projects, and Business manager as well (responsible for making travel arrangements for employees within facility). Gathered and confirmed receipts for expense reports.Controlled access and security of facility lobby. Obtained visitor's name and records in visitor log along with nature of business, time and name of host visitor wishes to see. Confirmed security clearance, when applicable, and issues visitor badge. Directed visitors to destination where no escort is required or calls host to escort visitor. Checked each employee for display of company badge. Issued temporary badges to employees who have forgotten their badge.

Working at Tyonek I learned that no matter how secure you may think your job is, this is a right to work state and you can and will be let go at anytime and there is nothing that you can do about it!

I really enjoyed my time at Tyonek I dont think I really have any regrets the job for the most part was an enjoyable experience.

Working at Tyonek has been a breath of fresh air. One of the things that immediately stands out is the strong work-life balance—you’re encouraged to actually have a life outside of work, and that kind of support is rare these days. They really get the importance of family, which means a lot. Whether it’s a sick kid, school events, or just needing some mental space, there’s a solid understanding of real-life responsibilities.

Another big plus is the access to leadership. You don’t feel like you’re 10 layers removed from the decision-makers. Leaders are approachable, open to ideas, and genuinely seem to care about employees. That transparency and communication go a long way.

There are also plenty of learning opportunities—whether you're just starting out or looking to level up your skills. From hands-on training to mentorship, they invest in your growth. If you’re the kind of person who likes to keep learning and developing, you’ll definitely thrive here.

On top of that, the team culture is collaborative and down-to-earth. No drama, no egos—just a good group of people trying to do great work. The benefits are solid too, and the company genuinely seems to care about employee well-being, not just productivity.

All in all, Tyonek is one of those rare places where you feel like more than just a number. It’s a great spot to build your career and have a life.

This company uses a lot of terms and conditions that are not defined or discussed during business transactions. The benefits package that is offered is not a sharing type of benefits package, the employer contributes nothing at all towards benefits. When hired, I discussed the fine details with the sight representative, during the conversations their were many details omitted such as relocation expense was included in the offering, what wasn't spoke of until after the first day of orientation was that the relocation expense which was titled "per diem" was taxed at a higher rate and also a two year employment clause was added in.The management within the organization was over tasked and not reliable or experienced enough to run day to day operations or conduct maintenance as which they were hired for. The facilities were exceptional in all aspects. The equipments, tools and materials needed to complete individual tasks were short or non existent, over all good work location, inexperienced leadership and management.

Busy place with high turnover adequate pay for responsibility. Putting in a lot of hours each week. Security manager needed to be removed well before he was and business development office is an overpaid out of control and useless organization within the company. They drive up the operating and overhead costs preventing contract bidding to be competitive.
 The people who work in the local office are amazing. The command chain structure should have been logistical anf based on locality but instead you answer to a supervisor that has never met you and has no idea what goes on each day.
 Upper management and business development do not talk to each other and communication above middle level management is poor.
The support personnel are some of the best people I have ever worked with.

Considering this is a federal contract/contractor job, you pretty much know what you're signing up for in terms of your job position, pay scale, and workload. However, there is literally zero room for advancement/progression, company does no have employee loyalty/views them as disposable, and benefits are sub-par. Expensive insurance, no 401k matching, forced to use all PTO when you have COVID (no COVID benefits), among others. In general, contracting work is a revolving door for employees, in and out, so there's always new faces and that culture kind of ends up creating cliques and good boy clubs. With that said, there are still plenty of good people you get to work with. However, on the bright side, you know exactly what you're getting day in/day out and the work is manageable. Pay is decent but should be a little more. 

What is the best part of working at the company?
Very family oriented!! Tyonek understands you number one asset is the people!! Best company I have ever worked for!! 

What is the most stressful part about working at the company?
Government changes by people who do not understand their position in contracting!! 

What is the work environment and culture like at the company?
Great!!! People helping each other. You can talk to anyone from the CEO down to the lowest level. If you have concerns, all you need to do is ask a question and get a response with an answer and if you need help you get help not more questions. You can get mentorship without begging. The best company ever.

What is a typical day like for you at the company?
Take care of my programs and people. Complete any training or other administrative tasks and help anyone who needs help.

Disorganized Government Contractor that is ran like a Commercial Company. Majority of employee's are inexperienced. Management meetings are a joke.  Program Managers etc. do not have a clue on how to actually run Government Contracting Programs. Very surprised they win contracts and have not been closed down.  Good ole boys network. Preferential treatment to longtime employee's, instead of skill level or work ethic. Majority of employees to include management are more consumed with gossiping, and backstabbing then they are with helping a company to excel.   Benefits are terrible and too expensive. Overworked, underpaid and expected to work 50+ hours with no overtime, job security or compensation benefits. Infrastructure is a disaster, very unprofessional workplace.

The very nature of a contractor at a government facility limits an employee's ability to progress and do more interesting work. There is the option of switching over to direct civil service but the pay cut would be too dramatic. No knock on the company. It is just the nature of contracting. I have a multitude of skills that go unused. I do enjoy the fact that I help repair the Navy's premier fighter jets but it does get frustrating at times. I have learned a lot about how aircraft structures and mechanical systems work. I do like the guys I work with both on the contractor side and the civil service side. We all work as a team to get the job done but as I said before the work itself does not begin to tap my skill base.

Top Job Titles	Average Salary
Manual machinist 1 salary reported	$36.23 per hour
Fueler 1 salary reported	$36.50 per hour

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