Grounds Keeper

Albany Rural Cemetery – Grounds Keeper (Full-Time)

LOCATION:
Albany Rural Cemetery
68 Cemetery Avenue
Menands, NY 12204

JOB TITLE:
Grounds Keeper (Full-Time)

HOURS:
Full Time – 40 hours/week
Monday – Friday
8: 00 AM – 4: 30 PM
(Hours may vary during summer months)

PAY:
Starting at $18.00 per hour

ABOUT ALBANY RURAL CEMETERY
Albany Rural Cemetery is a nonprofit organization, founded in 1841, and recognized as a National Historic Landmark. The grounds encompass 467 acres of private property, containing historic landscapes, iconic monuments, and some of the most significant rural-cemetery architecture in the country. All positions at Albany Rural Cemetery are at-will employment.  Our mission is to provide dignified cemetery services while preserving and caring for one of America’s most historic and culturally important burial grounds.

POSITION SUMMARY
This role is not traditional landscaping.  Grounds Keepers at Albany Rural Cemetery support:

• Burial preparation and grave setup
• Active burial and interment services
• Cemetery maintenance and preservation
• Stewardship of an historic landscape

The work requires skill, patience, situational awareness, attention to detail, emotional maturity, and a calm
temperament, especially during funeral services and when working near grieving families.
Grounds Keepers directly contribute to the safety, dignity, appearance, and operational readiness of the
cemetery every day.

PRIMARY RESPONSIBILITIES
Grounds Keepers work across several operational areas, including but not limited to:

Burial Preparation & Services
• Assisting with grave preparation, staging, and setup for interments
• Setting, leveling, and dressing burial sites before and after services
• Performing cremation burial cut-outs, marking, measuring, and placement
• Maintaining respectful silence and professional demeanor during services
• Ensuring burial locations are safe, presentable, and properly maintained
• Providing support during funeral services when directed by management

Grounds Maintenance
• Mowing using riding or walk-behind mowers
• Trimming around monuments, headstones, trees, fences, roads, etc.
• Removing brush using blowers, leaf vacuums, rakes, or sweepers
• Raking, mulching, pruning, planting, and seasonal cleanup
• Watering plants and removing unauthorized décor
• Tree and stump removal (assistance)
• Slope/hillside maintenance and hazard removal
• Maintaining landscapes in alignment with cemetery standards

General Cemetery Housekeeping
• Clearing debris from roads, pathways, and walkways
• Removing hazardous limbs and trimming shrubs
• Removing garbage and emptying cemetery waste receptacles
• Painting fences, benches, and other cemetery infrastructure
• Pond cleaning and drainage upkeep
• Road repair and seasonal maintenance
• Lifting and carrying 50+ lbs as needed

Equipment Operation
• Operation of riding and walk-behind mowers
• Use of weed whackers, trimmers, blowers, leaf vacuums
• Use of chain saws and pruning equipment
• Use of cement mixers, air hammers, and similar tools
• Operation of heavy equipment (training provided):
o Tractors
o Loaders
o Backhoes
o Snowplows

WORKING CONDITIONS
• Outdoor work in all weather conditions
• Work may involve heat, cold, rain, snow, mud, and uneven terrain
• Severe weather may require schedule changes or cancellations
• Grounds Superintendent may adjust hours for safety
• Work involves physical exertion and frequent lifting

EDUCATION & EXPERIENCE
• GED required
• Associate’s degree preferred
• Valid NYS Driver’s License preferred but not required
• Landscaping, construction, equipment experiences helpful
• Willingness to learn specialized cemetery operations is essential

BENEFITS
After successful completion of a 90-day performance review, full-time employees become eligible for:
• Medical insurance
• Dental insurance
• Vision insurance
• Paid holidays (after onboarding period)
• Additional benefits per the Employee Handbook

APPLICATION PROCESS
Interested applicants may apply in person at:
Albany Rural Cemetery
68 Cemetery Avenue
Albany, NY 12204
or submit a cover letter with resume to
Tim Diamond
General Manager
Albany Rural Cemetery
gmanager@albanyruralcemetery.org

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