Cemetery Caretaker

National Cemetery Administration • Colorado Springs, CO

1d • Onsite

About The Position

This position is located at Pikes Peak National Cemetery in Colorado Springs, Colorado. The Cemetery Caretaker performs manual and physically demanding groundskeeping and cemetery-care tasks. Duties include operating small tractors and riding lawn mowers; transplanting shrubs; digging and preparing graves; cutting and removing sod; tamping and leveling soil; assisting with casket placement; loading and unloading materials; aligning headstones; maintaining cemetery grounds and buildings; and removing snow and ice. The position also involves using hand and power tools and equipment to clear debris, weed, mulch, fertilize, prune, and clean headstones and service and administrative areas.

Work is primarily outdoors in all types of weather and may involve exposure to noise, heat, humidity, cold, precipitation, wind, dirt, dust, motor exhaust, mud, water, and areas treated with pesticides, insecticides, and fertilizers. Protective equipment is required. The role requires heavy physical effort, walking across varied terrain, and lifting up to 50 pounds; heavier items may be lifted with coworkers’ assistance.

The schedule may include Monday through Friday and occasional weekends. Staff are required to work Memorial Day and may be required to work other federal holidays, weekends, overtime, or emergency call-backs as needed. A compressed or flexible schedule is not available. Relocation expenses and relocation or recruitment incentives are not authorized. The full performance level is WG-06.

Requirements

• Demonstrated potential to perform landscaping, groundskeeping, or related trades duties, including use of hand tools and/or power tools and safe operation of related machinery and equipment.
• Ability to do the job without more than normal supervision.
• Must possess and maintain a valid state driver's license.
• Must be a U.S. citizen.
• Subject to a background/suitability investigation and designated and/or random drug testing.
• Must pass a pre-employment medical examination.
• Selective Service registration is required for males born after December 31, 1959.
• Must serve a one-year probationary period.
• Ability to meet the position's physical demands, including heavy physical effort, walking on varied terrain, and lifting weights up to 50 pounds; heavier items may be lifted with assistance.
• Must wear appropriate protective equipment when required.

Responsibilities

• Operate small tractors, riding lawn mowers, and other grounds-maintenance equipment.
• Transplant shrubs and maintain landscaped areas.
• Dig graves to the proper level; dig and square graves using pneumatic equipment, picks, and shovels.
• Cut and remove sod, and tamp and level dirt using hand and power tools.
• Assist with lifting and placing caskets on lowering devices.
• Load and unload materials.
• Align headstones and set headstones as required.
• Clear cemetery grounds of debris using tools and equipment such as trimmers, chainsaws, axes, shovels, rakes, blowers, and vacuums.
• Weed, mulch, apply fertilizer, and prune shrubs and low-level dead branches.
• Remove snow and ice.
• Clean headstones using a sprayer and hand brush.
• Clean service and administrative areas.
• Work overtime, weekends, and holidays as needed, including Memorial Day and occasional emergency call-backs.

Benefits

• A comprehensive federal employee benefits package is available to eligible employees; specific benefits depend on position type and should be confirmed with the hiring agency.

What This Job Offers

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