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?

"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 51 reviews)); "Good pay and days off" ((in 47 reviews)); "Innovative culture and great co" ((in 34 reviews)); "Good work life balance here" ((in 23 reviews))

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

"Poor communication and coordination throughout the organization" ((in 11 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 10 reviews)); "Long hours necessary to accomplish workload." ((in 9 reviews)); "Hectic, stressful, and bad leadership" ((in 8 reviews)); "Managers and HR ignore issues instead of addressing them head on." ((in 7 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

(183 total reviews)

Mark Widmar

86% approve of CEO

62% positive business outlook

Company ratings over time

Ratings trend for the last 6 months (183 reviews)

Ratings by demographic groups

Race / Ethnicity

Gender

Sexual orientation

Disability

Parent or family caregiver

Veteran status

Reviews by job title

183 reviews

Reviews about "Compensation"

Return to all reviews

4.0

Sep 28, 2017

Great company

Controls engineer

Recommend

CEO approval

Business Outlook

Pros

working environment, salary, advancement, bonus

Cons

working time, distance to work

First Solar Response

8y

Thank you for taking the time to leave a review. We appreciate your feedback and are glad that you have had a positive experience!

3.0

Aug 16, 2017

Good place to work, but not what it used to be

Anonymous employee

Recommend

CEO approval

Business Outlook

Pros

- Great co-workers who pitch in and help when you are overwhelmed - Awesome perks: gourmet café, onsite workout facility and high tech offices - Health benefits are great - When associates are in need, the company rallies around them

Cons

- Little career growth for women - Managers not willing to have hard conversations with their associates on performance, so no way to improve - Vacation policy is from the 1980's - Much has been taken away from associates over the last 5 years with the promise of do more now for us and we'll hire back and take work off your plate when things pick up. Well, they picked up years ago and they keep asking people to do more

First Solar Response

8y

Thank you for taking time to leave a review. We appreciate you sharing your experience with us and are glad that so much has been positive. If you would like to discuss your concerns further, we’d love the opportunity to resolve them. Please email jobs@firstsolar.com and we will be sure to get you in touch with a representative that can help you.

4.0

Aug 15, 2017

Proud to be working for a green energy company

Salaried manager

Recommend

CEO approval

Business Outlook

Pros

Goal driven company, very fast paced and requires a lot of tolerance for change. Job demands agility and flexibility. Casual work environment. Good health insurance benefits. Better, more aligned leadership under Mark Widmar. Proud to be working for a green energy company that can make a positive impact on the environment. Co-workers are very smart and driven. Like working with the people here. Bonus opportunity is good when the company performs well. I have been promoted a few times. Bonuses consistently have had some payout, even in bad years.

Cons

Industry is volatile and layoffs have impacted good people. Vacation and paid holiday allotment is stingy, and it takes 10 years to get additional vacation days. Leadership diversity could improve. Very few women in leadership roles. Job sharing, flex schedules, and part-time policies are very new and not really part of the culture. Constant pressure on "reducing OPEX", i.e. headcount and budgets, is exhausting. Merit increases are low (about 3%), and in 2017 they didn't give raises at all. Very few team building or employee events are ever sponsored.

First Solar Response

8y

Thank you for taking time to share your thoughts. We appreciate your feedback and are happy to hear that so much of your experience has been positive. If you would like to discuss your concerns further, we’d love the opportunity to resolve them. Please email jobs@firstsolar.com and we will be sure to get you in touch with a representative that can help you.

Viewing 124 - 126 of 183 Reviews

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Production Operator (Days)

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Production Operator (Days)

First Solar

First Solar reviews

Company ratings over time

Ratings by demographic groups

Reviews by job title

Reviews about "Compensation"

Great company

Good place to work, but not what it used to be

Proud to be working for a green energy company

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Jobs at First Solar