VETERANS CEMETERY CARETAKER 3 - 08132026-80181

Location: Knoxville, TN – East Tennessee State Veterans Cemetery on Lyons View Pike. Full-time position.

A Motor Vehicle Records (MVR) screening will be conducted prior to employment.

Qualifications

• Education equivalent to graduation from a standard high school.
• Two years of increasingly skilled full-time labor and trades experience, including at least one year of heavy equipment operation or two years as a Veterans Cemetery Caretaker with the State of Tennessee.
• Valid driver’s license.
• Ability to lift more than 50 lbs of materials and equipment.

Preferred Experience: Operation of various size excavators, farm tractors, and skid loaders.

Responsibilities

• Lead others in cemetery grounds maintenance: mowing, trimming hedges, detail trimming around beds and buildings, maintaining flower beds, removing dead flower arrangements, picking up trash and brush, and cleaning headstones.
• Lead others in assisting equipment operators with grave opening: preparing lowering devices, dressing and leveling gravesites, and setting Temporary Markers in alignment with adjacent markers.
• Act as a safety spotter during burial operations to ensure procedures are completed safely and respectfully.
• Lead others in preparing grounds for headstone placement and setting headstones according to National Cemetery Administration (NCA) standards, including socket preparation, alignment, spacing, and uniformity.
• Set headstones using NCA-recommended procedures, including survey stakes, top line, and back line techniques.
• Lead others in checking burial schedules and weather reports for daily scheduling; communicate changes to supervisor and ensure team members understand task priorities.
• Maintain respectful and professional communication with supervisors, peers, and the public, including bereaved family members and visitors.
• Lead others in operating tools, devices, and equipment according to safety rules; ensure personal protective equipment (PPE) is worn and in good condition.
• Work in harsh weather conditions (rain, snow, sleet, extreme heat/cold, high winds) to maintain cemetery grounds year-round.
• Prepare and apply fertilizers and pesticides for grounds maintenance.
• Assist foreman with administrative duties: data entry, documenting headstone placements and conditions, reporting equipment status and maintenance needs, and maintaining safety records.
• Serve as safety officer for the team: conduct safety briefings, ensure compliance with safety protocols, and report potential hazards.
• Perform additional duties as assigned.

Pay

Monthly: $2,896.00 | Annually: $34,752.00