Cemetery Caretaker

National Cemetery Administration•Annville, PA

7d•Onsite

About The Position

This position is located at Indiantown Gap National Cemetery in Annville, Pennsylvania. The Cemetery Caretaker performs manual and physically demanding work maintaining cemetery grounds and facilities. Duties include operating small tractors and riding lawn mowers; transplanting shrubs; digging graves to the proper level; cutting, removing, tamping, and leveling sod and dirt; digging and squaring graves with pneumatic equipment and hand tools; assisting with lifting and placing caskets on lowering devices; loading and unloading materials; aligning headstones; clearing debris; maintaining plantings; removing snow and ice; cleaning headstones; and cleaning service and administrative areas. The work is outdoors in all types of weather and involves physical effort, use of grounds-maintenance equipment, and exposure to noise, heat, humidity, cold, precipitation, dirt, dust, exhaust fumes, mud, water, and areas where pesticides, insecticides, and fertilizers are applied. Appropriate protective equipment is required. The schedule may include Monday through Friday and occasional weekends. Staff must work Memorial Day each year and may be required to work other holidays, weekends, and overtime to meet cemetery needs. Emergency overtime call-backs may occur. A compressed or flexible schedule is not available. The full-performance level is WG-06. Relocation expenses and recruitment or relocation incentives are not authorized.

Requirements

Demonstrated potential to perform landscaping, groundskeeping, or related-trades duties, including use of hand tools and power tools and safe operation of relevant 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.
Must pass a background/suitability investigation and pre-employment medical examination; designated or random drug testing may be required.
Male applicants born after 12/31/1959 must be registered for Selective Service.
Must complete the required application package and online onboarding process and provide acceptable identification for employment verification.
Must serve a one-year probationary period.
Able to meet the physical demands, including heavy effort, walking on varied terrain, and lifting up to 50 pounds; heavier items may occasionally be lifted with assistance.
Able to work outdoors in all types of weather and wear appropriate protective equipment.
Must work Memorial Day each year and may be required to work weekends, holidays, overtime, and emergency call-backs.

Responsibilities

Operate small tractors, riding lawn mowers, and grounds-maintenance equipment.
Transplant shrubs and maintain grounds by weeding, mulching, applying fertilizer, and pruning shrubs and low-level dead branches.
Dig graves to the proper level; cut and remove sod; tamp and level dirt using hand and power tools.
Dig and square graves using pneumatic equipment, picks, and shovels.
Assist in lifting and placing caskets on lowering devices.
Load and unload materials.
Align headstones and clean them using a sprayer and hand brush.
Clear cemetery grounds of debris using equipment and tools such as power trimmers, chainsaws, axes, shovels, rakes, blowers, and vacuums.
Remove snow and ice.
Clean service and administrative areas.
Work overtime, weekends, or holidays as needed, including Memorial Day, and respond to occasional emergency overtime call-backs.