Cemetery Caretaker
Department of Veterans Affairs
Summary
This position is located at the Georgia National Cemetery in Canton, Georgia.
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.
- 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 WG-WG-6 The full performance level of this position is WG-06.
- Relocation Expenses: Not Available Relocation/Recruitment Incentives: Not Authorized Financial Disclosure Report: Not Required
Requirements
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.
How You Will Be Evaluated
IN DESCRIBING YOUR EXPERIENCE, PLEASE BE CLEAR AND SPECIFIC. WE WILL NOT MAKE ASSUMPTIONS REGARDING YOUR EXPERIENCE. If your resume does not support the requirements for the position, we will not allow credit for your response(s). After the vacancy announcement closes, applications are evaluated for qualification.
Your resume and/or supporting documentation will be verified. Please follow all instructions carefully. Errors or omissions may affect your consideration for employment.
Required Documents
- To apply for this position, you must provide a complete Application Package which includes: Resume The following documents are accepted, and may be required if applicable to your eligibility and/or qualifications for this position.
- Please use this checklist to make sure you have included other documents required for your application, such as a copy of your transcript (if using education to qualify), documentation to support Veterans Preference claims, or ICTAP/CTAP documentation (for displaced Federal employees).
- You will not be contacted for additional information.
- Cover Letter DD-214/ Statement of Service Disability Letter (Schedule A) Disability Letter (VA) References Other (2) Performance Appraisal Resume Separation Notice (RIF) SF-15 SF-50/ Notification of Personnel Action Transcript
About this role
The Cemetery Caretaker position with the Department of Veterans Affairs is based in Canton, Georgia. This position is located at the Georgia National Cemetery in Canton, Georgia. The role pays $26.67 to $31.10 per hour.
Day to day, the work involves the Cemetery Caretaker performs jobs requiring mainly manual skills and physical strength. The full list of duties, conditions, and required documents appears in the official announcement linked on this page.
Who should apply
This role calls for United States citizenship, the relevant certifications named in the posting, and a valid driver's license. It is graded at WG-6, which sets both the pay band and the experience reviewers expect you to document. Be prepared for a pre-employment drug screening and physical or medical requirements as part of the hiring process. Match your federal resume directly to the announcement's wording so a reviewer can confirm each requirement in writing. For this Cemetery Caretaker position with the Department of Veterans Affairs in Canton, Georgia, confirm you meet each requirement before applying.
How competitive it is
The posted pay of $26.67 to $31.10 per hour places this in a competitive but attainable range for qualified applicants. Based in Canton, Georgia, it competes within that local market, which can mean lighter competition than major metropolitan postings. The announcement closes on June 29, 2026, and federal postings can close early once enough applications arrive, so applying promptly is wise.
This overview is general guidance from Job Army to help you understand the role. Always read the official announcement for exact duties, qualifications, and requirements before applying.
