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Cemetery Caretaker Technician
- Veterans Affairs, National Cemetery Administration (Milwaukee, WI)
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Summary This position is located at the Wood National Cemetery in Milwaukee, Wisconsin. Responsibilities Field Operation Duties: The Cemetery Caretaker performs jobs requiring mainly manual skills and physical strength. Performs a variety of tasks, such as operating small tractors and riding lawn mowers; transplanting shrubs; digging graves to the proper level; cutting and removing sod, tamping and leveling dirt using hand and power tools; digging and squaring graves using pneumatic equipment, picks and shovels; assisting in lifting and placing caskets on lowering devices; loading and unloading materials; aligning headstones; cleaning and clearing cemetery grounds of debris using power trimmers, chainsaws, axes, shovels, rakes, blowers, vacuums etc.; weeding, mulching, and applying fertilizer; pruning shrubs and low level dead branches; removing snow and ice; cleaning headstones using sprayer and hand brush; and cleaning service and administrative areas. Administrative Operations: Performs cemetery representative functions. Incumbent greets visitors including family members and general public; responds to requests and answers questions. Prepares all paperwork related to the interment process, checking work in progress and assuring that all deadlines, necessary information and procedures are met. Verifies for burial using military discharge papers and/or access to the Beneficiary Identification & Resource Locator System (BIRLS) and enters data to generate Record of Interment (ROI) in the National Cemetery Administration's Burial Operation Support System (BOSS). Coordinates burial services between the National Cemetery Staff, volunteers and funeral home directors to ensure the needs are met with respect to the next-of-kin. Work schedule: May be required to work Monday through Friday to include occasional weekends. Due to the mission of the National Cemetery, the cemetery cannot be closed for more than 2 consecutive days at any given time. Additionally, when a Federal holiday falls on a Monday or Friday, staff may be required to work on that holiday or a Saturday. All staff is required to work Memorial Day each year. Staff will be required to work overtime, weekends and holidays when necessary to meet the needs of the cemetery. Occasionally staff may be called back to the facility to perform emergency overtime work. Compressed/Flexible Schedule: Not Available Position Description Title/PD#:Cemetery Caretaker Technician/PD1555291 The full performance level of this position is WG-06. Relocation Expenses: Not Authorized Relocation/Recruitment Incentives: Not Authorized Financial Disclosure Report: Not Required Requirements Conditions of Employment Qualifications To qualify for this position, applicants must meet all requirements by the closing date of this announcement, 07/28/2025. Your background must demonstrate work involved in landscaping, grounds keeping, or other related trades experience that includes the use of hand tools and/or power tools, and the safe operation of related machinery and equipment used in cemetery caretaking practices, as described in the duties section of the announcement. You must also show experience in an office environment. Examples would be administrative work experience that includes work such as gathering data, coordinating meetings, establishing and maintaining an efficient filing system, using automated data processing equipment to generate a variety of reports, and establishing priorities and meeting deadlines. EXPERIENCE: A specific length of training and experience is not required, but you must show evidence of training or experience of sufficient scope and quality of your ability to do the work of this position. Evidence which demonstrates you possess the knowledge, skills, and ability to perform the duties of this position must be supported by detailed descriptions of such on your resume. Applicants will be rated in accordance with the OPM Qualification Standard for WG-4700 General Maintenance And Operations Work Family. SCREEN-OUT ELEMENT: Your qualifications will first be evaluated against the prescribed screen out element, which usually appears as question 1 in the on-line questionnaire. Those applicants who appear to possess at least the minimal acceptable qualification requirement are considered for further rating; those who do not are rated ineligible and are eliminated. The potential eligibles are then rated against the remainder of the Job Elements. The screen-out element(s) for this position is/are: Ability to do the job without more than normal supervision. Must possess and maintain a valid state driver's license. JOB ELEMENTS: Those who meet the minimum level of experience and training for the screen-out element will then be evaluated in each of the following job elements: Computer Skills Interpret Instructions, Specifications (includes blueprint reading) Oral Communication Technical Practices Use and Maintain Tools and Equipment Without more than normal supervision Writing Experience refers to paid and unpaid experience, including volunteer work done through National Service programs (e.g., Peace Corps, AmeriCorps) and other organizations (e.g., professional; philanthropic; religions; spiritual; community; student; social). Volunteer work helps build critical competencies, knowledge, and skills and can provide valuable training and experience that translates directly to paid employment. You will receive credit for all qualifying experience, including volunteer experience. Note: A full year of work is considered to be 35-40 hours of work per week. Part-time experience will be credited on the basis of time actually spent in appropriate activities. Applicants wishing to receive credit for such experience must indicate clearly the nature of their duties and responsibilities in each position and the number of hours a week spent in such employment. Physical Requirements: The work requires moderate effort in maneuvering large vehicles and in hooking up heavy equipment attachments to tractors. This position requires the incumbent to lift weights up to 50 pounds on a recurring basis. Items weighing greater than 50 pounds will be lifted with assistance. Most of the work involves twisting, climbing, lifting, bending, crouching, kneeling, leaning, stretching, bouncing, sitting, standing, stooping and carrying. When performing administrative functions, work is performed both indoors in an office setting and outdoors as the incumbent attends committal services during any kind of weather conditions. Working Conditions: Works outside in all kinds of weather. In addition, when operating vehicles, drives in all types of weather and traffic and is exposed to the possibility of accidents. Work is performed both indoors and outdoors in all types of weather. Incumbent is exposed to heat, cold, wind, dirt, dust, mud, and water in the performance of the duties of this position. The incumbent will always, exercise care and caution in performing the duties of the position so as not to cause injury to him/her self or fellow employees or visitors. Will perform assigned tasks in accordance with Department of Veterans Affairs, National Cemetery Administration, and OSHA regulations and policies. Personnel Protective Equipment (PPE) to include clothing will be worn as required by applicable laws, regulations, policies, and procedures. Selected applicants will be required to complete an online onboarding process. All applicants tentatively selected for VA employment in a testing designated position are subject to urinalysis to screen for illegal drugs use prior to appointment. Applicants who refuse to be tested will be denied employment with VA. Education Additional Information This job opportunity announcement may be used to fill additional vacancies. Veterans and Transitioning Service Members: Please visit the VA for Vets site for career-search tools for Veterans seeking employment at VA, career development services for our existing Veterans, and coaching and reintegration support for military service members. If you are unable to apply online or need an alternate method to submit documents, please reach out to the Agency Contact listed in this Job Opportunity Announcement.
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