software engineer

manufacturing engineer

senior engineering technician

intern

engineer

First Solar

What is the best part of working at the company?
Being a startup lactation ( was in construction when I first started working there ) a lot of the work in my department is brand new and all our input is highly valued.

What is the most stressful part about working at the company?
Amount of work, specifically organizing incoming solar panels for their load, many truck loads can be spread across the wearhouse floor, however you often have little time to decide how you'll organize things, as they need to be transported from the handshake area to the wearhouse 24/7, as a result may people complain about showing up to a disorganized wearhouse. 

What is the work environment and culture like at the company?
Work envirment requires critical thinking, and attention to detail to maintain good focus throughout the 12 hour shift, in addition to focusing while riding a forklift you should always double check the paperwork before confirming a shipment can be shipped, matching important details like trailer number ( truck ) and watage of solar panel as well as item number. Company culture is great and props it's employees up a fair amount, offering opportunities for advancement, for hard workers who really show up. As a new company, and a manufacturer there is so much opportunity within this company.

What is a typical day like for you at the company?
I may start unloading cover glass on the east dock, handling paperwork and staging them effectively, while keeping an eye out for defects, and then maybe fill in for the crib and receive gears for a future replacement project while also assisting an operator of a machine with his maintenance order ( simple but convoluted WMS inventory management system ). When finished with giving either a filter, wire, or mask and gloves to the worker, manager etc, I might either return to the east to help stage finished goods ( staging and loading trucks ) or head to the east and unload a different kind of glass for the remainder of the day.

Terrible leadership. if you are an operator you are getting bottom of the barrel pay and the work load keeps increasing.  Raises for operators are just horrible. You will never get ahead working here no matter how well you do your job and learn more areas.  Overpaid supervisors that do not even know how to do their jobs.  A lot of talk about working conditions and pay to better compensate with increased work load but that’s where it stops.  The wealth is at the top and stays there. Plant managers walk around acting like they care but they don’t care about the operators at all. They turn their heads at problems between employees. As long as you have a pulse you’ll get a job as an operator. If you are lazy this is the place for you!  Worst company I have ever worked for. No acknowledgement for jobs well done and no pay incentives whatsoever. If you’re looking for a great company to hang your hat at and stay, move on. Don’t waste your time here. No motivation to want to do better because you will not be compensated for it, ever.  Their benefits are not any better than anywhere else although they like to think they are. All companies have the comparable benefits locally. 

Typical day at work:
Make as many solar panels as you can. 

What you believe you learned:
Anything electrical and mechanical is available to learn at your own pace. Production workers have access to training materials.

Management:
Worst part of this fast growing company.  There is no management to speak of and zero accountability. Unless you are hired on a team, you will most likely work alone. 

Workplace culture:
The feel-good mentality of saving the planet quickly wears off.
Used to have a yearly blood test for cadmium exposure, hearing exams and mask fitments. 

The hardest part of the job:
12 hour shifts sound daunting at first, but you get into the rhythm quickly. The MFG/Production group are treated like expendable resources instead of human beings.
The environment depends on which building you work in, but the conditions are typical of a manufacturing facility: Loud, Funny smells from process chemicals. The new buildings are well lit and cleaned regularly - the older buildings/warehouses are darker and dirtier. Cadmium exposure is concerning.

The most enjoyable part of the job:
Shift work makes for a predictable work/life balance, just don't over do it by picking up a bunch of extra shifts. 



My experience at First Solar working in development engineering has been largely positive as far as my personal and professional development is concerned.  It is a great place to start your career as they offer many opportunities to grow in your position and develop as a young engineer.  If you prove yourself you will be given the opportunity to have more responsibility and have an increased impact on the organization through promotion.  However, the promotions at First Solar come with modestly disappointing pay raises.  In general, First Solar does not pay very well for a technology company and your promotions come with a small percentage increase based on an already low pay scale.  After you have had multiple promotions you will often find yourself making thousands to tens of thousands of dollars less than a comparable position at another company in the current job market.  This is why I would recommend First Solar as a good stepping stone for recent graduates to hone their abilities for a few years and then make the jump to another company to build up your net worth.

First Solar has benefits available that you can participate in but the company is constantly changing. Unfortunately, the company's wishy-washy business plan forces people out of a job and forces some of their workers into positions they did not apply for in the first place. For many years I worked for this company, and I cannot begin to tell you how many faces I saw in and out of there. They hire temps and let the majority of them go after their probation period. They have done countless layoffs or paid people to leave on a small scale to stay under the radar and resemble a positive company in the public eye. Then they turn around and announce in the papers that they will be hiring some large number of people so that it looks like they are supportive of their community.

My job at First Solar served its purpose during that point of my life but stability is important to me. I personally do not want to be laid off and then called back over and over. It might be the place for you if you are trying to transition, but I do not see it as a place where you can advance unless you know someone. They use the buddy system.

First Solar pays fairly. My manager was very accommodating about days off and was flexible with working hours if need be. 

They were usually willing to pay for additional resources, tools, and equipment if need be which was very helpful at times.

By far the biggest downside was I felt that management at various levels were engaged in way more office politics that most people would normally expect in a corporate environment at a growing company. Most people working as individual contributors were left out of it but you could still sense management was very "cut-throat" behind the scenes and as as a result, priorities and workloads could shift around pretty quickly which led to a lot of frustration for those caught up in it. It's quite possible that what I observed was isolated to the department I was working in and perhaps much has changed since I left.

First Solar has a lot of good things going for it so I think its probably worth a shot for people thinking of applying.

Do not waste your time. There is nothing positive about this company besides the fact that you get benefits pretty much right off the bat. There is no advancement,  just another boring line to be put on. The only people saying that this place is a good place to work are the liars that are making $150,000 a yr. And maybe some of the maintenance workers. This company doesn't care about you. They purposely open positions to favorites and yet post it for everyone. 
Yet once that favorite applies they close the job and act like it wasnt posted or dont have any word on your application 
status.  they allow people who have been out of time off to still work when they should have been fired .  unless you are a lazy piece of junk , butt kiss , or a sleeze you will not be anything herr. WAAAAAY TOO MUCH FAVORTISM, no communication,  "married supervisors having inappropriate actions with employees ex with employee H.R is a bunch of fools,fools s, people take way past their break times and nothing gets said ... unless u aren't  a favorite , supervisors dont mind their own business, NO chain of command AT ALL, worse than being surrounded by whiny junior high schoolers who tell on each other all the time

I truly enjoy working here and feel grateful to be part of such a positive and supportive workplace. The team is made up of wonderful co-workers who are always willing to help, collaborate, and share knowledge. This creates a friendly and professional environment where everyone can grow and succeed together. I also really appreciate the company’s commitment to sustainability and maintaining a responsible, forward-thinking work culture. It’s motivating to work for an organization that values not only its employees but also the broader impact it has on the community and environment.

Another thing that stands out is the strong and supportive leadership. The leadership team communicates clearly, listens to employees, and creates opportunities for development and improvement. This kind of guidance makes a big difference in how motivated and confident employees feel in their roles.

Overall, I have had a very positive experience here. Everything from the team culture to the work environment has been great, and I truly have nothing to complain about. I look forward to continuing to grow professionally and making a long-term commitment with FS.

A typical day at work involves preparation of spreadsheets to keep data for that day organized involving SubID for individual solar modules, as well as for qualification of the modules we wash.  I will then wash a certain number of modules each day, monitor the cleanliness using various parameters, and assist with organization and maintenance of tool and other parts of the process.  I've learned a great deal about data organization, work instruction creation, and time management.  The management in my group is productive yet often unrealistic.  They want what is best for the company, but are often unclear on what it takes to get that done.  My co-workers are dedicated, but seem happier with less of a work-life balance than I would like.  The hardest part of my job is spending so much time away from home, as I have a one hour commute each way to and from work.  The most enjoyable part of my job is the feeling of being an important part of a project that will make a difference in the real world.

A typical day at work, you were assigned to your SOW and no one was looking over your shoulder. You knew what tasks needed to be done to meet your deadlines and you did it.

I learned a lot about renewable energy power plants.

Each manager has their own management style therefore you adjusted to management styles that was applicable to your SOW. 

The culture promoted cross-functional collaboration but never quite reached that goal.

The hardest part of the job is based on individual perception. I enjoyed what I did. Therefore it was fun.

I loved travel and interacted with hotel sales managers, airline account managers, travel management company etc. In addition I got to see parts of Europe and Asia that I would not have the opportunity other wise.

Also meeting the most amazing people at other company locations i.e. Germany, Malaysia, Vietnam (suppliers as well as Associates) etc.

Top Job Titles	Average Salary
Software engineer 7 salaries reported	$95,429 per year
Manufacturing engineer 3 salaries reported	$73,500 per year
Senior engineering technician 5 salaries reported	$25.45 per hour
Intern 5 salaries reported	$18.00 per hour
Engineer 3 salaries reported	$85,413 per year

Working at First Solar: Company Overview and Reviews

First Solar

First Solar Ratings

Popular jobs at First Solar

Salary Satisfaction

Job Seeker Tools

Employer Tools

Browse

Stay Connected