Summary This position is located at the Black Hills National Cemetery in Sturgis, South Dakota. Responsibilities 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. 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/PD136120 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 You must be a U.S. citizen to apply for this job 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, Transcripts, etc. is required Selected applicants will be required to complete an online onboarding process. Acceptable form(s) of identification will be required to complete pre-employment requirements (https://www.uscis.gov/i-9-central/form-i-9-acceptable-documents). Effective May 7, 2025, 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. 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. Qualifications To qualify for this position, applicants must meet all requirements by the closing date of this announcement, 09/17/2026. 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. EXPERIENCE: Candidates must 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 this potential can be shown through work, training, or relevant activities that indicate the potential to perform these duties effectively. 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 REAL ID 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: Dexterity and Safety Interpret Instructions, Specifications (includes blueprint reading) Technical Practices Use and Maintain Tools and Equipment Without more than normal supervision 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: This position requires heavy physical effort with reaching, bending, turning, and moving hands, arms, feet and legs to operate the different sets of controls while operating the equipment and attachments. The Incumbent may be subjected to considerable strain caused by vibration, jerking, and jolting of the equipment over rough surfaces and the need to operate controls in awkward positions. Heavy effort is frequently exercised when performing duties such as tamping, carrying caskets/urns, lifting/moving grave planks, setting headstones, etc. Incumbent must be able to walk on hilly, flat, or rolling terrain. This position requires the employee to life weights up to 50 lbs. Occasionally items weighing more than 50 lbs are lifted with assistance from co-works. Employee may be exposed to noise levels exceeding 85 dBA for up to eight (8) hours per day. This exposure may adversely affect hearing. Working Conditions: Work must be performed outdoors, and incumbent will be exposed to all @types of weather throughout the year. Incumbent will be exposed to the sun, noise, extreme heat, and humidity, cold, snow, rain, wind, and is subject to dirt, dust, fumes (from motor and exhaust) mud, and water. Work is performed in areas where pesticides, insecticides, and fertilizers are applied. Appropriate protective equipment will be worn. The operator is exposed to injury from mishaps that may be involved in the operation of grounds maintenance equipment. 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.
