Summary This position is located at the Western New York National Cemetery in Pembroke, New York. Responsibilities The incumbent, as a Cemetery Administration Specialist, will monitor committal services for compliance with the National Cemetery Administration (NCA) standards pertaining to the mission to "honor Veterans and their families with final resting places in National Shrines and with lasting tributes that commemorate their service and sacrifices to our Nation." The incumbent represents the cemetery and the entire NCA at committal services at the National Cemetery, and at outreach events, answering questions and providing information to Veterans regarding memorial benefits. The representative is also versed in providing information to eligible family members of Veterans regarding any memorial benefits they may be eligible to receive. The incumbent of this position performs a wide variety of administrative duties in support of cemetery operations. The specific focus is on working together with the Administrative Officer and/or Cemetery Administrator in planning and administering the cemetery operations. Additional duties include, but are not limited to: Investigation and determination of eligibility for interment activities of the National Cemetery; Performs clerical office automation and typing duties in support of the administration (which requires the use of computer software (i.e. Microsoft Word, Excel, Outlook, Teams, etc.) and interment activities and is responsible for ensuring required reports are completed accurately and timely; Acts as clearing point for problems that arise such as: Congressional or other inquiries on eligibility for burial; continuation of reserved gravesites determination of legality and eligibility of widows, widowers and children of eligible service persons and decedents interred in the cemetery; remarried spouse interment with their first spouse, family members requesting burial with parents, children and siblings; and discrepancies in name, service number, dates of service, rank of organization, etc. Performs other duties as assigned. Performs public outreach as needed. Work schedule: Required to work Monday through Friday. 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 and Veteran's 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 Telework: Not Available Remote/Virtual: This is not a virtual or remote position. Position Description Title/PD#: Cemetery Admin Specialist / PD137070 The full performance level of this position is GS-07. At the GS-05 level, you will perform similar duties but under closer supervision. Promotion Potential: The selectee may be promoted to the full performance level without further competition when all regulatory, qualification, and performance requirements are met. Selection at a lower grade level does not guarantee promotion to the full performance level. Relocation Expenses: Not authorized Relocation/Recruitment Incentives: Not authorized Financial Disclosure Report: Not required If interested in applying for this position you may preview the online application: https://apply.usastaffing.gov/ViewQuestionnaire/12901176 Requirements Conditions of Employment Qualifications To qualify for this position, applicants must meet all specialized experience and time in grade requirements within 45 days of the closing date of this announcement, 03/13/2026. Must have the ability to @type at least 40 words per minute. Must possess and maintain a valid state driver's license. You may qualify based on your education and/or experience, as described below: To Qualify for the GS-05 Grade Level Experience: You must have three years of general experience, one year of which was equivalent to the next lower grade (GS-04) or equivalent. General experience is experience with progressive responsibility performing duties which demonstrates the ability to gather data, meet internal and external customer needs, coordinate meetings, establish and maintain an efficient filing system, use of computer software (i.e. Microsoft Word, Excel, Outlook, Teams, etc.) to generate a variety of reports, and communicate effectively. OR Education: Applicants may substitute education for the required experience. To qualify based on education for this grade level you must have a bachelor's degree or equivalent degree or 4 years above high school education leading to such a degree. Such education must demonstrate the knowledge, skills, and abilities necessary to do the work. OR Combination: Applicants may also combine education and experience to qualify at this level. You must have a combination of experience and education beyond the first 60 semester hours of under-graduate education earned. You will be rated on the following Competencies for this position: Communication Critical Thinking Customer Service Self-Management 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 is conducted outdoors in all weather conditions to include severe heat and cold. It involves walking, standing for long periods and carrying 23-35 pounds. Incumbent will be required to drive a government sedan, minivan, SUVs and/or pickup and must possess and maintain a valid state driver's license. Approximately one half of the work is performed in an outdoor setting; approximately on half of the work is performed in an office setting. As a condition of employment for accepting this position, you will be required to serve a 1-year probationary period during which we will evaluate your fitness and whether your continued employment advances the public interest. In determining if your employment advances the public interest, we may consider: your performance and conduct; the needs and interests of the agency; whether your continued employment would advance organizational goals of the agency or the Government; and whether your continued employment would advance the efficiency of the Federal service. Upon completion of your probationary period, your employment will be terminated unless you receive certification, in writing, that your continued employment advances the public interest. Selected applicants will be required to complete an online onboarding process. Education A transcript must be submitted with your application if you are basing all or part of your qualifications on education. PLEASE NOTE: Education must be accredited by an accrediting institution recognized by the U.S. Department of Education in order for it to be credited towards qualifications (particularly positions with a positive education requirement). Therefore, applicants must report only attendance and/or degrees from schools accredited by accrediting institutions recognized by the U.S. Department of Education. Applicants can verify accreditation at the following website: http://www.ed.gov/admins/finaid/accred/index.html. All education claimed by applicants will be verified by the appointing agency accordingly. If you are using foreign education to meet qualification requirements, you must send a Certificate of Foreign Equivalency with your transcript in order to receive credit for that education. Additional Information Special Employment Consideration: VA encourages persons with disabilities to apply, including those eligible for hiring under 5 CFR 213.3102(u), Schedule A, Appointment of persons with disabilities [i.e., intellectual disabilities, severe physical disabilities, or psychiatric disabilities], and/or Disabled veterans with a compensable service-connected disability of 30% or more. Contact the Agency Contact for information on how to apply under this appointment authority via the Selective Placement Coordinator. The Interagency Career Transition Assistance Plan (ICTAP) and Career Transition Assistance Plan (CTAP) provide eligible displaced Federal/VA competitive service employees with selection priority over other candidates for competitive service vacancies. To be qualified you must submit appropriate documentation (a copy of the agency notice, your most recent performance rating, and your most recent SF-50 noting current position, grade level, and duty location) and be found well-qualified (have a final rating of 85 or more) for this vacancy. Information about ICTAP and CTAP eligibility is on OPM's Career Transition Resources website at http://www.opm.gov/policy-data-oversight/workforce-restructuring/employee-guide-to-career-transition/. Placement Policy: The posting of this announcement does not obligate management to fill a vacancy or vacancies by promotion. The position may be filled by reassignment, change to lower grade, transfer, appointment, or reinstatement. Management may use any one or any combination of these methods to fill the position. This job opportunity announcement may be used to fill additional vacancies. Under the Fair Chance to Compete Act, the Department of Veterans Affairs prohibits requesting an applicant's criminal history prior to accepting a tentative job offer. For more information about the Act and the complaint process, visit Human Resources and Administration/Operations, Security, and Preparedness (HRA/OSP) at The Fair Chance Act. 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. For more information on the "Who may apply" eligibility requirements, please refer to the OHRM Status Candidates and Other Candidate Definitions document.
