How to apply for Staff Technical Recruiter

About Overstory

Overstory uses real-time satellite data and AI to help utilities reduce wildfire risk and improve grid reliability, directly combating climate change. Working here means applying cutting-edge technology to a critical environmental challenge, with a mission-driven team that values innovation and impact.

About the role

As a Staff Technical Recruiter, you'll own full-cycle recruiting for technical roles, including specialized positions like machine learning engineers. You'll shape hiring strategies, build scalable systems, and leverage AI to optimize processes—directly influencing the team that builds climate-saving technology.

A typical day

Start your day reviewing pipeline metrics and prioritizing sourcing for an ML engineer role. Partner with a hiring manager to refine job requirements, then use AI tools to source candidates and conduct initial screens. Afternoon involves coordinating interviews, extending offers, and iterating on recruiting processes based on data.

Who Overstory is looking for

• Has 8+ years of technical recruiting experience in high-growth startups, with a proven ability to close hard-to-find talent like ML engineers.
• Excels at building scalable recruiting systems and tooling for remote-first, international environments.
• Is tech-savvy and actively uses AI tools (e.g., sourcing algorithms, interview scheduling bots) to improve efficiency.
• Thrives in a data-driven culture, using metrics to refine hiring processes and partner effectively with hiring managers.

Tips for this application

• Highlight specific examples of closing tough technical roles (e.g., ML engineers) with metrics like time-to-fill or offer acceptance rates.
• Showcase any experience building recruiting systems from scratch, especially for remote-first companies.
• Mention specific AI tools you've used or implemented in your recruiting workflow (e.g., ChatGPT for job descriptions, sourcing tools).
• Tailor your resume to Overstory's mission: emphasize how your work helped build teams that solve hard problems.
• Include a brief note on how you'd use satellite data or climate tech context to attract talent.

What to cover in your cover letter

["Your passion for climate tech and how Overstory's mission resonates with you.", 'Concrete examples of scaling recruiting in remote-first environments.', "Your experience with AI/automation in recruiting and how you'd apply it at Overstory.", 'Your ability to partner with technical hiring managers to define roles and strategies.']

Research before applying

• Read Overstory's blog posts on wildfire risk and grid resilience to understand their technology.
• Review their engineering team's LinkedIn profiles to understand the types of roles you'd recruit for.
• Check their careers page for current open roles and see how they position their culture.
• Look up recent news about Overstory (e.g., funding rounds, partnerships) to speak knowledgeably.

Likely interview topics

Based on the job description, expect questions about:

• Walk me through how you'd design a sourcing strategy for a machine learning engineer at Overstory.
• Describe a time you built a recruiting process from scratch; what metrics did you track?
• How do you use data to improve hiring outcomes? Give a specific example.
• How would you attract top tech talent to a climate tech startup?
• What AI tools have you used in recruiting, and how did they impact your workflow?

Common mistakes to avoid

• Don't submit a generic resume; fail to mention remote-first or startup-specific experience.
• Avoid focusing only on agency recruiting without showing in-house full-cycle ownership.
• Don't overlook the AI requirement; failing to mention any tech-savviness or tool usage can hurt.