Cemetery Caretaker Technician

Summary This position is located at the Tahoma National Cemetery in Kent, Washington. Responsibilities The incumbent will perform both field (Cemetery Caretaker) and administrative (Cemetery Representative) functions. Field Operation Duties: The Cemetery Caretaker in this position performs a variety of cemetery interment and maintenance tasks involving manual labor. The incumbent will operate a variety of equipment including, but not limited to operating utility vehicles, riding mowers, tractors, spreaders, forklifts, power pressure washers, and augers. Must be able to operate equipment including backhoe, excavator and Bobcat. Operates licensed vehicles on public roadways to pick up and/or deliver supplies and equipment. Drives a variety of equipment which has an assortment of towed or attached accessories powered by take-off, hydraulic pumps or by direct drive from wheels. Performs preventive maintenance and minor repairs to assigned equipment. Prepares for daily interment of casketed or cremated remains, using the daily interment schedule showing names of decedents, assigned grave locations, type and depth of grave and grave liner. Receives markers, which may include using a forklift to load and unload. 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 eligibility for burial using military discharge papers and/or access to the Beneficiary Identification & Resource Locator System (BIRLS) and enters data to generate Records of Interment (ROI) in the National Cemetery Administration's Burial Operation Support System (BOSS). Coordinates burial services between National Cemetery staff, volunteers, and funeral home directors to ensure the needs are met with respect to the next-of-kin. Folds and presents flag to closest family member in the absence of military service. In performing offices tasks, incumbent operates equipment such as computer, typewriter, facsimile, copy machine, telephone, and printer. This is a term appointment not to exceed 13 months. Term appointments are non-status, nonpermanent appointments of limited duration of more than 1 year, but not more than 4 years and are subject to a 1 year trial period. Should the need warrant, term appointments may be extended without further competition up to a maximum of the 4 year limitation. The appointment to a term position does not confer eligibility for promotion, reassignment, or transfer to other positions or the ability to be non-competitively converted to permanent employment. 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/PD124187 WG-WG-6 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, 08/19/2024. 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 Oral Communication 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: Incumbent must be able to perform tasks requiring moderate and various body strengths, such as lowering caskets, "walking" headstones to headstone sockets and setting them, unloading headstones, holding a string trimmer and trimming for extended periods. This requires strength, e.g., the ability to lift/lower 90 pounds or more, and stamina, i.e. the ability to endure, repetitious physical tasks. Both field and office work require frequent walking, bending, stooping, standing, kneeling, pushing, pulling, and carrying. Operation of some large vehicles/equipment requires the incumbent to, use considerable effort to maneuver it, using frequent arm and leg movement to operate controls, exposure to constant vibration caused by movement of equipment over rough terrain, and effort to hook up heavy attachments to tractors. Working Conditions: Work is typically performed outside in the sun, wind, rain, cold, or snow and under extended periods of extremely muddy conditions. Incumbent is exposed to all types of natural elements and must be able to endure in all types of weather (except in extreme conditions such as floods or blizzards). Incumbent is exposed to noise, vibration, dirt, dust, exhaust fumes, and agricultural chemicals. These conditions are considered normal for this occupation. Incumbent is also exposed to traffic and the possibility of accidents. The incumbent may operate machinery that causes noise and vibrations, emit carbon monoxide, has moving parts which may cut or harm the body and requires the use of safety-protective clothing and devices. This work may be performed over uneven terrain. Incumbent is required to wear government issued protective clothing and follow safety rules and regulations requiring the use of items such as a hard hat, safety boots, respirator, face mask, hearing protection devices, safety glasses, gloves, and rain gear. The office environment is characterized by frequent interruptions of daily tasks due to telephone calls and visitors as well as by grieving families who may be in emotional distress. 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.