First Solar reviews

3.7

70% would recommend to a friend

(683 total reviews)
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Mark Widmar

86% approve of CEO

62% positive business outlook

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
Aug 15, 2017
Recommend
CEO approval
Business Outlook

Pros

First Solar is a great place to work. I have been with First Solar for over 8 years. I believe that First Solar has a strong leadership team that is driven to ensure we stay ahead of our solar rivals in a highly competitive marketplace. First Solar is an environment of constant change which is a dynamic that I enjoy. I believe the willingness to change when it makes sense is one of the key factors as to why First Solar has been successful. First Solar is and organization with diverse backgrounds and employees with tremendous skillsets. I feel fortunate that I continue to have the opportunity to be a part of the First Solar team. High level internal communications were an organization weakness and over the last 1-2 years have become a strength of the organization. Another strength I have seen is First Solar promoting internal associates when we have the skill set and talent internally. Overall Perrysburg has great facilities including an onsite café and workout facility. I would recommend First Solar to friends as a place to consider if they are evaluating a career change or if they are looking for their first career opportunity.

Cons

As I mentioned as one of my pros, First Solar is an organization of constant change. I understand this isn't for everyone. Some employees don't like the fast pace and the demands of the job.

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First Solar Response
8y
Thank you for taking time to share your thoughts. We appreciate you sharing your experience with us and are glad you have had a great experience!
2.0
Jul 10, 2017

Take caution leaving a job, even a mediocre one, to go to FS

Anonymous employee
Recommend
CEO approval
Business Outlook

Pros

Decent pay, R&D work is always fun.

Cons

Workers (smart people with a decent work ethic) are relegated to perpetual worker status and slackers are promoted. For slackers its a great place, they'll move you around, in and out of jobs you fail at, and eventually put you in management. Then they'll wonder why all the good workers leave.

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First Solar Response
8y
Thank you for taking time to share your thoughts. We appreciate you sharing your experience with us. It’s unfortunate that your experience did not met your expectations. We’d love the opportunity to resolve your concerns. Please email jobs@firstsolar.com and we will be sure to get you in touch with a representative that can help you.
1.0
Jan 26, 2017

First Solar Inc is through a rough patch

Recommend
CEO approval
Business Outlook

Pros

Solar will power the future. First Solar Inc (FS) is still the largest PV modules manufacturer in USA

Cons

With mono PERK technology ramping up, Si PV will outperform CdTe-based thin film modules by both conversion efficiency and cost. FS management relies that efficiency will be over 19% by 2019, but the significantly enlarged area of modules from series 6 will bring a lot of uncertainty, principally suspected concerns associated with manufacturing processes non-uniformity.. Furthermore, the scientific approach and methods previously dominated in R&D to boost efficiency in FS are currently almost entirely replaced by chaotic empirical trials. The implemented superstrate CdTe technology imposes a lot of technical limitations by itself, particularly related to processing temperatures and doping effectiveness. Hazard related issues to Cd require the development and implementation of a specific recycling technology, which is also adding to the cost. Regarding, FS modules are inappropriate for residential and building integrated PV markets.

Viewing 22 - 24 of 683 Reviews

Glassdoor has 805 First Solar reviews submitted anonymously by First Solar employees. Read employee reviews and ratings on Glassdoor to decide if First Solar is right for you.