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 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?

"Good benefit and growth of the company" ((in 57 reviews)); "People are understanding of mistakes and it's great as a first full time corporate job." ((in 54 reviews)); "Good pay and days off" ((in 41 reviews)); "Good culture Friendly co" ((in 33 reviews)); "Good work life balance here" ((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)); "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

First Solar reviews

3.7

70% would recommend to a friend

(684 total reviews)

Mark Widmar

86% approve of CEO

62% positive business outlook

Company ratings over time

Ratings trend for the last 6 months (684 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 684 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

684 reviews

1.0

Jul 15, 2012

Solar sector is in a slump

Anonymous employee

Recommend

CEO approval

Business Outlook

Pros

If you want to make a positive difference in the worl, solar holds great promise to provide environmentally friendly energy.

Cons

Management is foundering - and it doesn't look like improvements will be made anytime soon!

2.0

Dec 12, 2011

Based on who you suck up to not necessarily qualifications.

Technician

Recommend

CEO approval

Business Outlook

Pros

The pay is comparable, the benefits are good. Working conditions are bad most of the time.

Cons

Repititous on the floor. 12hrs rotating shifts. Poor middle management skills. Promotion off floor is impossible unless you buddy up with supervisors. For most it is a ego trip and dog eat dog employees.

2.0

Apr 12, 2025

Terrible Management

Shift manager

Recommend

CEO approval

Business Outlook

Pros

New facility, cafeteria on site

Cons

Incompetence all over with management. Nepotism runs wild here. Zero training, no SOP and all the heads of management are clueless and unqualified to do there job.

First Solar Response

1y

Thank you for taking the time to leave a review. We appreciate the feedback and are always open to areas for improvement. If you would like to provide more insight into your experience, please contact us at jobs@firstsolar.com.

Viewing 91 - 93 of 684 Reviews

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Jobs at First Solar

Multi-State Government Relations Manager (Located in Southeast US Region - remote)

Engineer- Manufacturing Systems I (1st Shift)

Digital Marketing and AI Intern (Fall 2026)

Government Relations - Legislative & Regulatory Tracking Intern (Fall 2026)

First Solar

First Solar reviews

Company ratings over time

Ratings by demographic groups

Reviews by job title

Solar sector is in a slump

Based on who you suck up to not necessarily qualifications.

Terrible Management

Top companies for "Compensation and Benefits" near you

Jobs at First Solar