Cemetery Caretaker

National Cemetery Administration • Corfu, NY

2d • Onsite

About The Position

This position is located at the Western New York National Cemetery in Pembroke, New York. The Cemetery Caretaker performs jobs requiring mainly manual skills and physical strength. Duties include operating small tractors and riding lawn mowers, transplanting shrubs, digging graves, cutting and tamping sod and dirt, digging and squaring graves, assisting in lifting and placing caskets, loading and unloading materials, aligning headstones, cleaning and clearing cemetery grounds of debris, weeding, mulching, applying fertilizer, pruning shrubs, removing snow and ice, cleaning headstones, and cleaning service and administrative areas. The work schedule may require working Monday through Friday, including occasional weekends. Due to the mission of the National Cemetery, it cannot be closed for more than 2 consecutive days. Staff may be required to work on Federal holidays that fall on a Monday or Friday, or on a Saturday. All staff are required to work Memorial Day each year. Overtime, weekends, and holidays may be required to meet the needs of the cemetery, and staff may occasionally be called back for emergency overtime work. A compressed/flexible schedule is not available.

Requirements

• Must be a U.S. citizen.
• Subject to a background/suitability investigation.
• Designated and/or random drug testing may be required.
• Pass a pre-employment medical examination.
• Selective Service Registration is required for males born after 12/31/1959.
• A complete application package, including Resume and Transcripts, is required.
• Selected applicants will be required to complete an online onboarding process.
• Acceptable forms of identification will be required to complete pre-employment requirements.
• Driver's licenses or state-issued identification cards that are not REAL ID compliant cannot be utilized as an acceptable form of identification for employment effective May 7, 2025.
• Must serve a 1-year probationary period.
• Demonstrate the potential to perform the duties involved in landscaping, groundskeeping, or related trades, including the use of hand tools, power tools, and the safe operation of machinery and equipment used in cemetery caretaking practices.
• Evidence of potential can be shown through work, training, or relevant activities.
• Ability to do the job without more than normal supervision.
• Must possess and maintain a valid state driver's license.
• Ability to interpret Instructions, Specifications, and Directives.
• Ability to maintain tools and equipment.
• Ability to work safely.
• Must be able to lift weights up to 50 lbs. Occasionally items weighing more than 50 lbs are lifted with assistance.

Nice To Haves

• Candidates should be committed to improving the efficiency of the Federal government, passionate about the ideals of our American republic, and committed to upholding the rule of law and the United States Constitution.

Responsibilities

• Operates small tractors and riding lawn mowers.
• Transplants shrubs.
• Digs graves to the proper level.
• Cuts and removes sod, tamps and levels dirt using hand and power tools.
• Digs and squares graves using pneumatic equipment, picks and shovels.
• Assists in lifting and placing caskets on lowering devices.
• Loads and unloads materials.
• Aligns headstones.
• Cleans and clears cemetery grounds of debris using power trimmers, chainsaws, axes, shovels, rakes, blowers, vacuums etc.
• Weeds, mulches, and applies fertilizer.
• Prunes shrubs and low level dead branches.
• Removes snow and ice.
• Cleans headstones using sprayer and hand brush.
• Cleans service and administrative areas.

Benefits

• A career with the U.S. government provides employees with a comprehensive benefits package.
• As a federal employee, you and your family will have access to a range of benefits that are designed to make your federal career very rewarding.
• Eligibility for benefits depends on the type of position you hold and whether your position is full-time, part-time or intermittent.

What This Job Offers

• Job Type: Full-time
• Career Level: Mid Level
• Education Level: No Education Listed