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

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

5.0

Dec 21, 2025

Quality Engineer

Quality engineer

Recommend

CEO approval

Business Outlook

Pros

Semiconductor Critical thinking Communication Technical semiconductor knowledge

Cons

Overthinking Planning Emotional control Self-regulation Self-control

First Solar Response

5mo

Thank you for sharing your experience at First Solar and for the 5-star review. We’re glad to hear that your role as a Quality Engineer has allowed you to strengthen critical thinking, communication, and technical expertise within the semiconductor space. We’re happy to have you on the team and look forward to your continued contributions. If you have any further thoughts or feedback, please feel free to connect with us at jobs@firstsolar.com!

2.0

Dec 2, 2025

Commodity Manager

Global commodity manager

Recommend

CEO approval

Business Outlook

Pros

Benefits, travel, connections, and room for growth

Cons

Flexibility, Management, Workload, Politics, Drama

First Solar Response

7mo

Thank you for taking the time to share your feedback. We’re glad to hear that you valued the benefits, travel opportunities, and connections during your time with us, as well as the potential for growth. We appreciate your honesty regarding areas for improvement, and we take these insights seriously as we strive to create a supportive and collaborative environment for all associates. If you're interested in sharing more about your experience, please reach out to us at jobs@firstsolar.com.

2.0

Nov 13, 2025

Good place to work

Controls engineer

Recommend

CEO approval

Business Outlook

Pros

good pay with off time through the week due to 2-3 3-2 schedule

Cons

Low pay for technicians causing turnover

First Solar Response

7mo

Thank you for your feedback! We’re glad to hear you appreciate the flexible scheduling and work-life balance benefits of the 2-3/3-2 schedule and appreciate all input. If you’d like to share more about your experience or have suggestions for improvement, we’d love to hear from you. Please feel free to reach out to us at jobs@firstsolar.com.

Viewing 22 - 24 of 683 Reviews

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Jobs at First Solar

Production Operator (Nights)

Production Operator (Night Crew)

Production Operator (Days)

Production Operator (Day Crew)

Administrative Assistant II

First Solar

First Solar reviews

Company ratings over time

Ratings by demographic groups

Reviews by job title

Quality Engineer

Commodity Manager

Good place to work

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Jobs at First Solar