Application Guide

How to Apply for Product Designer

at Ecosia

🏢 About Ecosia

Ecosia is a unique B Corp that uses its search engine profits to fund tree planting and combat climate change. As a CO2-neutral company, it offers mission-driven work where your design directly contributes to environmental impact. The remote-first EU team values sustainability, transparency, and innovation.

About This Role

As a Product Designer, you'll own end-to-end user journeys across Ecosia's product portfolio, from search to AI surfaces. You'll shape UI standards and the design system, while actively integrating AI into your workflow. This role is impactful because your designs will influence millions of users who are making a positive environmental choice.

💡 A Day in the Life

Your day might start with a standup discussing user research insights, then you'll sketch flows for a new search feature. After lunch, you'll refine a motion prototype in Figma, collaborate with engineers on component tokens, and end the day testing an AI agent you built to automate user feedback analysis.

🎯 Who Ecosia Is Looking For

  • Has a portfolio showcasing exceptional UI taste, motion design, typography, and pixel-perfect execution.
  • Is genuinely curious about AI and eager to use AI tools, build agents, and contribute to code.
  • Thinks in cross-surface journeys (web, mobile, browser) rather than isolated screens.
  • Is highly organized, self-managing, and has 3–5 years of experience with a bias for action.

📝 Tips for Applying to Ecosia

1

Tailor your portfolio to highlight motion design and micro-interactions, as Ecosia values craft and details.

2

Include a case study where you used AI (e.g., prototyping with AI, data-driven design) to show curiosity.

3

Mention your experience with design systems and tokens, and how you contributed to scalability.

4

Show cross-surface work: include examples from web, mobile, or browser extensions.

5

In your resume, quantify impact: e.g., 'Improved user engagement by 20% through UI redesign.'

✉️ What to Emphasize in Your Cover Letter

["Express genuine passion for Ecosia's mission and how your design skills can amplify their environmental impact.", 'Highlight your AI curiosity and any hands-on experience with AI tools or coding (e.g., HTML/CSS, basic JS).', 'Emphasize your ability to own end-to-end projects and your systematic approach to design systems.', 'Mention specific Ecosia products you admire and suggest a design improvement (e.g., search result cards).']

Generate Cover Letter →

🔍 Research Before Applying

To stand out, make sure you've researched:

  • Understand Ecosia's business model: how they use search ad revenue to plant trees, and their CO2 neutrality.
  • Explore their product portfolio: Ecosia Search, Browser, and any AI features like Ecosia AI Chat.
  • Read their blog and transparency reports to see how they measure impact and involve users.
  • Check their design team's public work or talks (e.g., on design systems or sustainability).

💬 Prepare for These Interview Topics

Based on this role, you may be asked about:

1 Walk me through a project where you improved a design system. How did you ensure consistency across surfaces?
2 How have you used AI in your design process? What tools or agents have you built or used?
3 Design a new feature for Ecosia's search results page that encourages tree planting. Walk us through your process.
4 How do you prioritize when managing multiple projects? Give an example of a time you had to balance quality and speed.
5 What role do motion and micro-interactions play in user experience? Show an example from your portfolio.
Practice Interview Questions →

⚠️ Common Mistakes to Avoid

  • Don't submit a portfolio without motion examples or only static screens; Ecosia values interaction details.
  • Avoid generic cover letters; failing to mention their mission or AI focus shows lack of research.
  • Don't ignore the 'cross-surface' requirement; if you only have mobile experience, show web or browser work.

📅 Application Timeline

This position is open until filled. However, we recommend applying as soon as possible as roles at mission-driven organizations tend to fill quickly.

Typical hiring timeline:

1

Application Review

1-2 weeks

2

Initial Screening

Phone call or written assessment

3

Interviews

1-2 rounds, usually virtual

Offer

Congratulations!

Ready to Apply?

Good luck with your application to Ecosia!