Is First Solar a good company to work for?

First Solar has an overall rating of 3.7 out of 5, based on over 806 reviews left anonymously by employees. This rating has decreased by 3% over the last 12 months. 70% of employees would recommend working at First Solar to a friend and 62% have a positive outlook for the business. The best reviews about First Solar have been left by employees working as Manufacturing Engineer , Development Engineer and Manager .

Does First Solar pay their employees well?

According to anonymously submitted Glassdoor reviews, First Solar employees rate their compensation and benefits as 3.4 out of 5. Find out more about salaries and benefits at First Solar. This rating has decreased by 1% over the last 12 months.

How satisfied are employees working at First Solar?

70% of First Solar employees would recommend working there to a friend based on Glassdoor reviews . Employees also rated First Solar 3.7 out of 5 for work life balance, 3.6 for culture and values and 3.4 for career opportunities.

What are the top reviewed jobs at First Solar?

Engineer (24) , Manufacturing Engineer (21) , Manager (17) , Technician (13) , Development Engineer (11) , Intern (9) , Development Engineer II (8) , Internship (8) , Manufacturing Associate (8) , Project Manager (8) , Production Operator (7) , Analyst (6) , Director (6) , Coater Technician (5) , Human Resources Generalist (5)

What are the pros of working at First Solar according to real employee reviews?

"Good benefit and growth of the company" ((in 54 reviews)); "People are understanding of mistakes and it's great as a first full time corporate job." ((in 53 reviews)); "Good pay and work with top tallent peers" ((in 51 reviews)); "Good culture Friendly co" ((in 30 reviews)); "good work / life balance" ((in 22 reviews))

What are the cons of working at First Solar according to real employee reviews?

"Cultural challenges given the number of spread out offices and difficulty establishing a common culture; stock price volatility reducing the value of equity compensation, a number of silos which resulted in "us vs them" mentality (EPC versus Project Development); recent layoffs given shift in the market away from historically subsidized markets in Europe" ((in 12 reviews)); "Long hours necessary to accomplish workload." ((in 10 reviews)); "Poor communication and coordination throughout the organization" ((in 10 reviews)); "Managers discouraged input from qualified team members." ((in 10 reviews)); "senior management is incompetent and lazy" ((in 5 reviews))

What are employees saying about First Solar layoffs in 2026?

Explore Glassdoor’s employee reviews to understand what current and former employees are saying about First Solar layoffs and their outlook for job security at First Solar in 2026.

What are the top reviewed First Solar locations?

Perrysburg , Tempe , Toledo , Santa Clara , Trinity , Phoenix , Bridgewater , Walbridge , San Francisco , Columbus , Sunnyvale , New York , Mesa , Palmdale , Oakland , New Iberia , Tampa , Butler , Bound Brook , Jersey City , Lumberton , Decatur , Farmington , Chandler , Tucson , Portland , Elm City , Austin , Dallas , Houston

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Employment at FS - Development Engineer II First Solar Employee Review

2.0

Mar 6, 2025

Development engineer ii

Recommend

CEO approval

Business Outlook

Pros

I worked on projects with a mix of teams that all were smart and approachable people to work with. Any challenges we faced, most of them were nice enough to work together to resolve the issues rather than point fingers at each other.

Cons

The above-mentioned project was canceled and they broke the news to us just before everyone went on vacation towards the end of the year. One would think they had their next steps detailed out and that's why they broke the news all of a sudden. But no. They were as clueless as the audience. The management has a 5-year and 10-year plan on where they want to be, competing with other solar manufacturers out there (especially Chinese), but they have no clue what the next month, the next quarter, or the next year should look like. They had near zero idea of the next steps to be taken and they had no pieces put in place before they decided to make a bold move of pivoting to a completely new direction. Zero communication between different teams and also from upper management to the teams. I have seen 2-3 teams work on the same task without even knowing the other team is doing the same.

First Solar Response

Thank you for the review. We appreciate insight and feedback provided by associates. If you'd like to share more on your experience at First Solar, please reach out to us at jobs@firstsolar.com.

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5.0

Feb 25, 2026

Development engineering technician iii

Recommend

CEO approval

Business Outlook

Pros

People are very nice to work with

Cons

Career development opportunities are less

First Solar Response

4mo

Thank you for sharing your experience at First Solar. We’re happy to hear that you’ve enjoyed working with our team and found the people to be welcoming and supportive. We’re grateful for your contributions and for sharing your perspective with us. If you have any further thoughts or feedback, please feel free to connect with us at jobs@firstsolar.com.

4.0

Jul 14, 2026

Network engineer

Recommend

CEO approval

Business Outlook

Pros

The work-life balance is great! The company will provide opportunities for professional growth.

Cons

Being on the corporate team, you kinda get lost in the flow of the day-to-day.

First Solar Response

Thank you for your feedback and for being part of First Solar for more than three years. We're glad to hear that you've enjoyed a strong work-life balance and opportunities for professional growth. Creating an environment where associates can grow and thrive is something we value greatly. We also appreciate your thoughts on recognition and visibility. Feedback like yours helps us continue improving the associate experience and ensuring associates' contributions are recognized across the organization. Thank you again for sharing your perspective. If you'd like to provide additional insights, we encourage you to connect with us at jobs@firstsolar.com.

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