Is First Solar a good company to work for?

First Solar has an overall rating of 3.7 out of 5, based on over 805 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 been stable over the past 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, 3.7 for culture and values and 3.3 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?

"People are understanding of mistakes and it's great as a first full time corporate job." ((in 59 reviews)); "Good benefit and growth of the company" ((in 57 reviews)); "Good pay and days off" ((in 44 reviews)); "Innovative culture and great co" ((in 33 reviews)); "Work life balance is good" ((in 22 reviews))

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

"Long hours necessary to accomplish workload." ((in 11 reviews)); "Poor communication and coordination throughout the organization" ((in 10 reviews)); "Favoritism is very high there." ((in 10 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 9 reviews)); "Hectic, stressful, and bad leadership" ((in 8 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

First Solar reviews

3.7

70% would recommend to a friend

(683 total reviews)

Mark Widmar

86% approve of CEO

62% positive business outlook

Company ratings over time

Ratings trend for the last 6 months (683 reviews)

Ratings by demographic groups

Race / Ethnicity

Gender

Sexual orientation

Disability

Parent or family caregiver

Veteran status

First Solar has an employee rating of 3.7 out of 5 stars, based on 683 company reviews on Glassdoor which indicates that most employees have a good working experience there. The First Solar employee rating is in line with the average (within 1 standard deviation) for employers within the Manufacturing industry (3.5 stars).

Reviews by job title

683 reviews

3.0

May 8, 2026

Great mission and high performers, but very disorganized

Anonymous employee

Recommend

CEO approval

Business Outlook

Pros

Wonderful high performers and great mission.

Cons

So disorganized and chaotic. Expect deep frustration at archaic processes

First Solar Response

2mo

Thank you for sharing your feedback and experience at First Solar. We’re glad to hear that our mission and the talented people you work with are meaningful parts of your experience. We also value feedback that helps us continue improving how we work and support our teams. Thank you for your ongoing contributions and commitment to First Solar. If you’d like to share additional insights, we encourage you to connect with us at jobs@firstsolar.com.

5.0

May 7, 2026

Good Salary Package

Manufacturing engineer ii

Recommend

CEO approval

Business Outlook

Pros

Good working environment to work at

Cons

Company is scale down due to low demand

First Solar Response

2mo

Thank you for sharing your experience and for your long‑term commitment to First Solar. We’re pleased to hear that you value the working environment and compensation, as creating a supportive and rewarding workplace remains a priority for us. We appreciate your continued contributions and are grateful to have you as part of our team. If you’d like to share additional feedback or thoughts, we welcome you to reach out to us at jobs@firstsolar.com.

3.0

May 4, 2026

Low-stress management but limited advancement opportunities

Spare parts clerk

Recommend

CEO approval

Business Outlook

Pros

Little to no stress from managers

Cons

Hard to move-up or receive appropriate raise

First Solar Response

2mo

Thank you for taking the time to share your experience at First Solar. We’re glad to hear that you find our management approach supportive and low‑stress, as fostering a respectful and people‑first work environment is something we value deeply. We also appreciate your perspective on career growth, as feedback like this helps inform our ongoing efforts to strengthen development, learning, and advancement opportunities across the organization. If you have any further thoughts, please feel free to reach out to us at jobs@firstsolar.com.

Viewing 7 - 9 of 683 Reviews

Top companies for "Compensation and Benefits" near you

Siemens

3.8★Compensation & Benefits

Samsung Electronics

3.7★Compensation & Benefits

Eaton

3.7★Compensation & Benefits

Broadcom

4.2★Compensation & Benefits

Jobs at First Solar

Production Operator (Nights)

Production Operator (Night Crew)

Production Operator (Days)

Production Operator (Day Crew)

First Solar

First Solar reviews

Company ratings over time

Ratings by demographic groups

Reviews by job title

Great mission and high performers, but very disorganized

Good Salary Package

Low-stress management but limited advancement opportunities

Top companies for "Compensation and Benefits" near you

Jobs at First Solar