Development Engineer II applicants have rated the interview process at First Solar with 3.5 out of 5 (where 5 is the highest level of difficulty) and assessed their interview experience as 75% positive. To compare, the company-average is 70.6% positive. This is according to Glassdoor user ratings.
Candidates applying for Development Engineer II roles take an average of 22 days to get hired, when considering 4 user submitted interviews for this role. To compare, the hiring process at First Solar overall takes an average of 24 days.
Common stages of the interview process at First Solar as a Development Engineer II according to 4 Glassdoor interviews include:
One on one interview: 25%
Group panel interview: 25%
Phone interview: 17%
Background check: 17%
Skills test: 8%
Presentation: 8%
Here are the most commonly searched roles for interview reports -
I applied online. I interviewed at First Solar in Mar 2021
Interview
First Solar has a well-structured interview process where they look for specific things (your mindset when answering questions you do not know the answer to, how you communicate with others and respond to criticism, your technical knowledge, etc.). They treated me with respect throughout the whole process.
For perspective, I was a recent PhD graduate with many relevant (but not exact) qualifications. The interview process proceeded as follows:
Day 0 – job posted
Day 11 – application date
Day 21 – email from recruiter saying he wanted to meet with me
Day 26 – spoke with recruiter
Day 35 – email from hiring manager saying she wanted to meet with me
Day 40 – spoke with hiring manager
Day 48 – recruiter called to say they want to have a formal interview with a panel and present my thesis
Day 50 – email confirmation for the panel interview
Day 52 – presented and completed the panel interview
Day 65 – recruiter called to say they are going with a candidate that has more exact qualifications
I applied in-person. The process took 5 days. I interviewed at First Solar (Perrysburg, OH) in Aug 2025
Interview
Standard STAR questions on collaboration, conflicts, project management etc. Interviewers expect you to know only the basics of the CdTe PV industry and understand that not everyone comes in with the same background. Being well prepared to talk about your own experiences is critical though.
Interview questions [1]
Question 1
You tell me about a time you had to work with someone difficult?
I applied through an employee referral. The process took 4 weeks. I interviewed at First Solar (Santa Clara, CA) in Jul 2023
Interview
3 rounds. First round with an HR staff. Second round with a single proxy for the hiring manager, who asked me in-depth solar cell physics questions. Third round was on-site. I first had to present a seminar for 35 min. Then, I had 9 one-on-one 30 min interviews with 1h pause for lunch. The lunch hour was shared with some of the staff as well.
I applied online. The process took 4 weeks. I interviewed at First Solar (Perrysburg, OH)
Interview
1. Phone interview with a recruiter 2. On-site interview at First Solar. (Total ~7-8 hours long) 2.1. Research presentation. 2.2. Line tour. 2.3. Interview with different managers. 3. Follow-up from First Solar. 4. Offer letter.