Estate Caretaker

Private Family Estate in Locust Valley, New York Seeking an Estate Caretaker

Please submit both your resume and a brief cover letter highlighting your estate caretaking, property maintenance, or groundskeeping experience. We would love to learn more about your background and why you feel you would be an excellent fit for this opportunity.

Position: Full-Time, Live-Out Estate Caretaker

Location: Locust Valley, NY
Schedule: Saturday through Wednesday, approximately 9:00 a.m. to 5:30 p.m. (8 paid hours per day with a 30-minute unpaid lunch)
Compensation: $45.00 to $55.00 per hour, depending on experience and qualifications.
**Compensation will be commensurate with private estate experience, technical skills, and overall qualifications.
Overtime: Paid at 1.5 times the regular hourly rate for all approved hours worked over 40 per week.
Start Date: ASAP - Flexible for the right candidate
Relocation: No. Local candidates only.


About the Estate

A distinguished private family estate in beautiful Locust Valley is seeking an experienced, hands-on Estate Caretaker to join their long-term estate team. This is an exceptional opportunity for a dedicated professional who takes pride in maintaining a private property to the highest standards and enjoys working in a collaborative, well-run estate environment.

The Estate Caretaker works closely with the Owner and the estate's management team to help maintain the property and support the day-to-day operation of the estate.

This position is one of two full-time Estate Caretakers who work together to provide seamless year-round coverage of the property. The two caretakers are equal members of the team, each with their own established schedule and responsibilities. They work collaboratively to ensure the estate is maintained to the highest standards every day of the year.

This is a fully hands-on role. It is not a managerial role. The successful candidate will be actively involved in the day-to-day care and maintenance of the estate and should genuinely enjoy working outdoors, taking ownership and pride in their work, and maintaining a beautiful property to the highest standards, Someone who naturally notices the details others may overlook. The ideal person is proactive, resourceful, and enjoys taking ownership of their work while contributing to a professional estate team
Responsibilities

The Estate Caretaker is responsible for helping prepare, maintain, and support the day-to-day operation of the estate. While the primary focus is the care and maintenance of the exterior grounds, the role also provides occasional support to the household staff and family as needed.

Responsibilities include:

• Maintain all exterior areas to the highest standard, including driveways, parking areas, walkways, terraces, fencing, railings, pagodas, BBQ areas, and outdoor furniture
• Care for the swimming pool area and surrounding outdoor spaces
• Operate, maintain, and troubleshoot the estate's irrigation system, including sprinkler head maintenance
• Perform lawn care, gardening, weeding, seasonal planting, and general landscape maintenance
• Remove snow and ice during the winter months
• Maintain shutters, exterior fixtures, drainage systems, and monitor air conditioning and mechanical equipment areas
• Clean and perform routine maintenance on estate equipment including lawn mowers, chainsaws, and other machinery
• Perform basic maintenance on bicycles, golf carts, and estate vehicles
• Complete light repairs, painting, touch-up work, and general property maintenance
• Liaise with and oversee outside contractors, including landscapers, gardeners, pool professionals, and other service providers
• Implement the estate's severe weather preparedness plan for hurricanes, heavy snow, and other extreme weather events
• Coordinate refuse and recycling services
• Provide occasional driving assistance for the Owner as requested
• Assist the household staff and family with general property-related needs as they arise

Schedule & Coverage

This position follows a Saturday through Wednesday schedule, with Thursdays and Fridays off.

**Weekend availability is a permanent and essential part of this role.**

The estate is staffed by two Estate Caretakers who work together to provide uninterrupted property coverage 365 days a year. Both caretakers work cooperatively to cover one another during scheduled vacations and planned absences, ensuring the estate is never without caretaker coverage. Annual leave is planned jointly, and flexibility to work additional hours when needed is expected. Approved overtime is compensated at 1.5 times the regular hourly rate.

Availability during holidays and festive periods is an expected part of this position.
The Ideal Candidate

The ideal candidate enjoys taking ownership of their work and finds satisfaction in maintaining an exceptional property to the highest standards . They are active, dependable, proactive, and comfortable working outdoors throughout every season.

They are equally comfortable working independently while collaborating closely with the other Estate Caretaker and supporting the household team when needed. A strong work ethic, excellent attention to detail, sound judgment, and complete discretion are essential.
Position Requirements

• Previous experience as an Estate Caretaker, Property Caretaker, Groundskeeper, Estate Maintenance Technician, or in a similar hands-on property maintenance role
• Private estate experience strongly preferred
• Experience with grounds maintenance, landscaping, gardening, irrigation systems, and general property maintenance
• Mechanical aptitude and experience maintaining outdoor equipment and tools
• Experience with painting, decorating, and light property repairs is highly desirable
• Physically able to perform outdoor work year-round in all weather conditions
• Comfortable working around children and dogs
• High level of professionalism, discretion, and confidentiality

Additional Requirements

• Excellent professional references
• Valid driver's license with a clean driving record and confident driving ability
• Legally authorized to work in the United States
• Strong English communication skills
• Background check: Successful completion of a background check upon offer of hire
• High level of professionalism, discretion, and confidentiality

Compensation & Benefits

• $45.00 to $55.00 per hour, depending on experience and qualifications.
  **Compensation will be commensurate with private estate experience, technical skills, and overall qualifications.
• Weekly payroll, paid every Friday
• Overtime paid at 1.5 times the regular hourly rate after 40 hours per week
• Employer-sponsored healthcare after 90 days of employment
• 401(k) eligibility after 90 days of employment
• Ten (10) paid vacation days annually, scheduled jointly with the other Estate Caretaker to maintain uninterrupted estate coverage
• Six paid holidays
• Stable, full-time, long-term opportunity with a highly professional private family estate