Equipment Operator Craftsman

Summary
Under the direction of the Cemetery Operations Manager, serve as an operator of heavy and light motorized equipment. Scope of duties to include: maintain cemetery grounds and grave areas, including, but not limited to, irrigation and grave excavation; burial functions (opening/closing for interments, entombments, inurnments, disinterment); lawn sodding, seeding, fertilizing; monument and marker setting; manual and mechanical earth moving and lawn care equipment operation. Facilitates special events, services, and programs for Veteran’s Cemetery.

Essential Functions

Determines workloads and schedules, interpreting and implementing policies and procedures.

Plan, coordinate, and conduct a wide variety of services provided by the Veterans Cemetery, including the maintenance and landscaping of grounds, safety, irrigation repair/efficiency, facilities, and cemetery medians.

Make daily/periodic inspections of heavy/maintenance equipment to ensure proper operation and employee safety.

Prepare a variety of reports, including operational, activity, and equipment maintenance reports, and recommend purchase requisitions, purchase orders, check requests, invoices, and other reports as needed.

Communicate effectively with fellow workers, contractor personnel, and client families, and ensure that procedures and rules are followed at the facility.

Additional duties assigned.

Qualifications

Two years of heavy equipment experience preferred.

Previous heavy equipment experience in a cemetery field is preferred.

Must be at least 18 years of age.

Education/Training

A high school diploma or a GED is required.

A valid Texas driver’s license; the ability to obtain one within ninety (90) days of employment, or a military waiver is required.

Physical Exam is required.

Knowledge and Abilities

Operate mechanical/heavy equipment, including and not limited to: excavator, dump truck, tool cat, skid steer, utility vehicle, tilt bed trailer, jackhammer, and tamper.

Materials, methods, practices of casket lowering devices, irrigation repair, and equipment used in all facets of cemetery maintenance activities.

Use of hand-held tools such as shovels, pick, rake, sledgehammer, lawn mower, weed eater, leaf blower, and chainsaw.

Methods and techniques used in estimating time and materials for grounds maintenance activities.

Procedures and techniques of plant material identification, selection, planning, cultivation, and pruning.

Principles of understanding first aid practices and techniques; general safety protocol; understanding policies and guidelines for dealing with an emergency.

Ability to:

Crew lead/train groundcrew during opening & closing internment, inurnments, and heavy equipment operations.

Recommend and implement goals, objectives, and practices for providing effective and efficient cemetery maintenance services.

Respond quickly in an emergency situation; follow and enforce rules; verbally communicate with the public and staff effectively.

Understand and follow oral and written instructions.

Communicate clearly and concisely, both orally and written.

Become familiar with the National Cemetery Administration’s and Texas Veterans Land Board regulations, policies, and procedures.

Become familiar with the VA/NCA/VLB guidelines regarding veterans’ data and information sharing, placement and tracking of remains, placement and tracking of government headstones/markers, and overall aesthetics of the cemetery.

Physical Requirements

Essential duties require the following physical skills and work environment:

Heavy work. Exerting up to 100lbs. of force frequently to lift, carry, push, pull, or otherwise move objects.

Repetitive motion. Substantial movements (motions) of the wrists, hands, and/or fingers, knees, and back.

Employee is required to have dexterity to perform kneeling, crouching, bending at the waist, and occasional overhead work; extensive physical labor.

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