Application Guide
How to Apply for Senior Product Designer
at Overstory
🏢 About Overstory
Overstory uses real-time satellite data to combat climate change by reducing wildfire risk and improving grid reliability. Their mission-driven focus on environmental impact makes them unique, offering designers the chance to create products with tangible real-world consequences. Working here means contributing to technology that directly addresses urgent climate challenges.
About This Role
As Senior Product Designer, you'll lead the end-to-end design process for Overstory's customer-facing product, from user research through detailed specs and QA. This role is impactful because you'll be designing solutions that help utilities and organizations prevent wildfires and maintain reliable power grids. You'll balance user needs with engineering constraints while communicating your vision to both teammates and leadership.
💡 A Day in the Life
A typical day might involve collaborating with engineers to understand technical constraints while sketching wireframes for new features, conducting user research sessions with utility customers to validate design approaches, and presenting design solutions to company leadership. You'll balance detailed design work with rapid prototyping, ensuring solutions are both user-centered and technically feasible for shipping.
🚀 Application Tools
🎯 Who Overstory Is Looking For
- Has 5+ years of product design experience with a portfolio showcasing B2B SaaS or enterprise software work, particularly at early-stage startups
- Demonstrates expertise in both UX and UI design with proven ability to create shippable solutions that address user problems within technical constraints
- Excels at communicating design decisions through clear verbal, written, and visual presentations in fast-paced environments
- Has experience leading design sprints and can quickly iterate between low-fi sketches and detailed prototypes based on project needs
📝 Tips for Applying to Overstory
Tailor your portfolio to highlight enterprise/B2B SaaS projects, specifically showing how you balanced user needs with technical constraints
Include examples of how you've validated designs with customers in fast-paced startup environments
Demonstrate your understanding of climate tech or environmental applications in your application materials
Showcase your communication skills by clearly explaining your design process in your portfolio case studies
Highlight any experience with data visualization or complex information systems relevant to satellite data applications
✉️ What to Emphasize in Your Cover Letter
["Your experience with early-stage startups and how you've contributed to product evolution in fast-paced environments", 'Specific examples of designing enterprise software that solved complex user problems within technical constraints', 'Your passion for climate tech and how your design skills could contribute to wildfire prevention and grid reliability', "How you've successfully communicated design decisions to cross-functional teams and company leadership"]
Generate Cover Letter →🔍 Research Before Applying
To stand out, make sure you've researched:
- → Overstory's specific products and how they use satellite data for wildfire prevention and grid management
- → The company's recent news, funding rounds, and growth trajectory as an early-stage startup
- → The challenges utilities face in wildfire prevention and grid reliability that Overstory addresses
- → Climate tech industry trends and how design contributes to environmental solutions
💬 Prepare for These Interview Topics
Based on this role, you may be asked about:
⚠️ Common Mistakes to Avoid
- Portfolio focused solely on consumer apps without enterprise/B2B SaaS examples
- Failing to demonstrate experience working within technical constraints or with engineering teams
- Generic application materials that don't reference Overstory's specific mission or climate focus
📅 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:
Application Review
1-2 weeks
Initial Screening
Phone call or written assessment
Interviews
1-2 rounds, usually virtual
Offer
Congratulations!