First Solar
First Solar

60 First Solar Development Engineer Jobs Hiring Near You

Development Engineer II

Santa Clara, CA · On-site

$89K - $127K/yr

First Solar reserves the right to offer you a role most applicable to your experience and skillset ... Plan, execute and characterize development engineering experiments in the laboratory and ...

Development Engineer I

Santa Clara, CA · On-site

$89K - $127K/yr

First Solar reserves the right to offer you a role most applicable to your experience and skillset ... Plan, execute and characterize development engineering experiments in the laboratory and ...

First Solar reserves the right to offer you a role most applicable to your experience and skillset ... a Development Engineer III at First Solar. * Master's Degree in an engineering discipline or ...

First Solar reserves the right to offer you a role most applicable to your experience and skillset ... a Development Engineer I at First Solar. * Bachelor's Degree in an engineering discipline or ...

First Solar reserves the right to offer you a role most applicable to your experience and skillset ... a Development Engineer I at First Solar. * Bachelor's Degree in an engineering discipline or ...

Showing results 21-40

First Solar Jobs Information

What is it like to work at First Solar?

First Solar is a company that values innovation, sustainability, and teamwork, fostering a collaborative and dynamic work environment. The company's structure is organized into various teams, including engineering, manufacturing, and project development, working together to design, build, and deploy solar energy systems. Working at First Solar may appeal to individuals who are passionate about renewable energy, eager to contribute to a mission-driven organization, and interested in a fast-paced and challenging work environment.

What makes First Solar an attractive place to work?

First Solar is a leading global provider of photovoltaic solar modules and solutions, recognized for its commitment to sustainability and innovation in the renewable energy sector. The company offers a dynamic work environment that fosters collaboration, creativity, and professional growth, with opportunities to work on cutting-edge projects and technologies. Joining First Solar provides a chance to contribute to the global transition to clean energy, develop new skills, and advance in a rapidly evolving industry with a strong focus on sustainability and social responsibility.

Do workers at First Solar get paid breaks?

Yes. Most people get paid breaks.
94% of people say they get paid breaks.
Based on data from 36 people who took the Breakroom Quiz between August 2025 and July 2026.

Does First Solar pay people when they’re sick?

No. Most people don’t get paid when they’re sick.
85% of people say they wouldn’t get paid if they were sick but scheduled to work.
Based on data from 39 people who took the Breakroom Quiz between August 2025 and July 2026.

At First Solar, are sick days and vacation days separate paid time off?

Only some people have separate paid time off for sick days and vacation.
60% of people say they have to use vacation days when they’re out sick.
Based on data from 35 people who took the Breakroom Quiz between May 2025 and July 2026.

Is the health insurance from First Solar affordable enough for their workers?

Most people say the health insurance costs are okay.
89% of people say the health insurance costs are okay
Based on data from 36 people who took the Breakroom Quiz between August 2025 and July 2026.

Do people get paid time off at First Solar?

Most people get paid time off work.
76% of people say they get paid time off.
Based on data from 41 people who took the Breakroom Quiz between August 2025 and July 2026.

Do workers at First Solar worry about hours?

Most people don’t worry about getting enough hours.
90% of people report they don’t worry about getting enough hours.
Based on data from 48 people who took the Breakroom Quiz between December 2024 and May 2026.

Do First Solar workers get to choose the shifts they work?

Some people don’t get to choose which shifts they work.
50% report that they don’t have enough control over which shifts they work.
Based on data from 42 people who took the Breakroom Quiz between December 2024 and May 2026.

How easy is it for First Solar workers to change shifts?

Some people find it hard to change shifts.
59% of people report that it’s hard to change shifts if they need to.
Based on data from 17 people who took the Breakroom Quiz between January 2025 and May 2026.

How easy is it to get time off at First Solar?

Most people find it easy to get time off.
76% of people report it’s easy to get time off.
Based on data from 34 people who took the Breakroom Quiz between August 2025 and July 2026.

Do First Solar managers change schedules at the last minute?

Most managers don’t change people’s schedules at the last minute.
96% of people say their manager doesn’t change their shift schedule at the last minute.
Based on data from 46 people who took the Breakroom Quiz between December 2024 and May 2026.

Do jobs at First Solar spill into time workers aren’t paid for?

Rarely. The job doesn't usually spill into unpaid time.
11% of people report that their job takes up time that they don’t get paid for.
Based on data from 46 people who took the Breakroom Quiz between December 2024 and May 2026.

How easy is it to take sick days at First Solar?

Most people find it easy to take sick days.
75% of people report that it’s easy to take time off if they are sick.
Based on data from 36 people who took the Breakroom Quiz between August 2025 and July 2026.

Is a First Solar job good for students?

Most students say this is a good place to work if you’re studying.
67% of students report this is a good place to work if you’re studying.
Based on data from 6 people who took the Breakroom Quiz between February 2025 and March 2026.

Is working at First Solar good if you’re a parent or caregiver?

Most parents and caregivers say this is a good place to work.
68% of people who care for a child or other relative report this is a good place to work.
Based on data from 19 people who took the Breakroom Quiz between January 2025 and July 2026.

Do people at First Solar feel treated with respect by their managers?

Some people don’t feel treated with respect by their managers.
40% of people say they’re not treated with respect by their managers.
Based on data from 42 people who took the Breakroom Quiz between August 2025 and July 2026.

Do people at First Solar get to take their breaks without interruption?

Only some people get breaks without interruption.
41% of people report that their breaks get interrupted.
Based on data from 39 people who took the Breakroom Quiz between August 2025 and July 2026.

Is it stressful to work at First Solar?

Most people feel stressed out here.
73% of people say they often feel stressed out at work.
Based on data from 40 people who took the Breakroom Quiz between August 2025 and July 2026.

Do people at First Solar enjoy their jobs?

Only some people enjoy their job.
47% of people report they don’t enjoy their job.
Based on data from 47 people who took the Breakroom Quiz between January 2025 and July 2026.

Do people at First Solar recommend working with their team?

Only some people recommend working with their team.
60% of people report that they wouldn’t recommend working with their immediate team to a friend.
Based on data from 43 people who took the Breakroom Quiz between August 2025 and July 2026.

Do people get enough training when they start at First Solar?

Some people didn’t get enough training when they started.
50% of people report they didn’t get enough training when they started working here.
Based on data from 38 people who took the Breakroom Quiz between August 2025 and July 2026.

Do people get support to advance at First Solar?

Only some people are given support to advance their career here.
In the last year, 56% of people report not being given support to advance their career here.
Based on data from 39 people who took the Breakroom Quiz between August 2025 and July 2026.

Do people think First Solar’s headquarters understands what’s happening where they work?

Most people think headquarters doesn’t understand what’s happening where they work.
87% of people think that this employer’s headquarters or owners don’t have a good understanding of what’s really happening where they work.
Based on data from 39 people who took the Breakroom Quiz between August 2025 and July 2026.

Do workers feel well informed about how First Solar is doing?

Only some people feel well informed about how the company is doing.
63% of people feel that they aren’t kept well informed about how the company is doing as a whole.
Based on data from 40 people who took the Breakroom Quiz between August 2025 and July 2026.
Infographic showing various Development Engineer job openings at First Solar in the United States as of August 2026, with employment types broken down into 100% Full Time. Highlights an 99% Physical, and 1% Hybrid job distribution.

Development Engineering Supervisor

First Solar

Santa Clara, CA • On-site

Full-time

Posted 28 days ago


First Solar rating

6.6

Company rating: 6.6 out of 10

Based on 74 frontline employees who took The Breakroom Quiz

457th of 538 rated manufacturers


Job description


First Solar reserves the right to offer you a role most applicable to your experience and skillset.
Basic Job Functions:
  • Lead Process Development laboratory operations supporting technology development, pilot process evaluation, and advanced solar cell research activities. Direct and develop a team of technicians responsible for executing experimental work, operating development equipment, maintaining laboratory readiness, and supporting rapid technology learning cycles.
  • Serve as the operational leader between Process Development engineers, equipment engineering, metrology, EHS, and laboratory technicians to ensure safe, repeatable, and efficient experimental execution. Drive operational systems that improve experimental quality, accelerate learning cycles, maximize equipment availability, and increase the effectiveness of technology development programs.
  • Translate engineering objectives into robust technician-executable procedures, develop technician technical capability, and establish execution discipline required to support evolving technologies, changing priorities, and complex development activities.

Education/Experience:
  • Associate's degree in an engineering discipline or similar technical discipline and 15 years of relevant technical experience or 2 years of experience as a Development Engineer I at First Solar.
  • Bachelor's degree in an engineering discipline or similar technical discipline and 5 years of relevant technical experience or 2 years of experience as a Development Engineer I at First Solar.
  • Minimum 5 years of experience supporting semiconductor, photovoltaic, thin-film, advanced manufacturing, or technology development laboratories.
  • Demonstrated experience supporting research, process development, pilot-line, or advanced engineering environments where operating procedures, technologies, and priorities change frequently.
  • Experience leading technicians supporting experimental fabrication, metrology, characterization, or development process equipment.

Required Skills/Competencies:
  • Critical Communication: Ability to effectively communicate technical priorities, operational risks, and experimental execution concerns across technicians, engineering, management, and support organizations.
  • Experimental Execution Excellence: Demonstrated ability to establish and maintain execution discipline required for repeatable and reproducible experimental results. Strong understanding of procedural compliance, operational variation reduction, and technician-driven process consistency.
  • Technology Development Support: Ability to work effectively within a research and development environment where priorities and process flows evolve rapidly based on technology needs. Capable of translating engineering intent into practical operational execution plans and technician work instructions.
  • Technical Leadership: Working knowledge of semiconductor, thin-film, solar cell, vacuum process, wet chemistry, thermal processing, laser processing, metrology, or advanced laboratory systems. Capable of evaluating operational challenges associated with development equipment and partnering with engineering teams to improve performance, reliability, and experimental throughput.
  • Practical Common Sense: Strong situational judgment to make fast, safe, and logical decisions in a high-hazard, fast-paced environment.
  • First-Line Troubleshooting and Drive Equipment Uptime: experienced guiding operation crew members through first level tool diagnose and quick repair. Capable driving experienced equipment maintenance/support crew on advanced troubleshooting and major repair.

Essential Responsibilities:
  • Daily Supervision: Lead daily execution of technology development activities by aligning technician resources, laboratory capacity, equipment availability, and operational priorities with Process Development objectives.
  • Workflow Optimization: Continuously improve laboratory execution systems to accelerate technology learning cycles while maintaining experimental quality, safety, and data integrity.
  • SOP Development and Execution Discipline: Partner with Process Development engineers to convert development processes into detailed operational procedures suitable for technician execution. Establish, maintain, and continuously improve operational standards that ensure repeatable and reproducible experimental results.
  • Experimental Quality Ownership: Own technician execution quality for development activities by monitoring procedure adherence, identifying sources of operational variation, and implementing corrective actions that improve experimental repeatability.
  • Technology Transfer Support: Support introduction of new technologies, equipment, materials, and experimental processes into laboratory operations by developing training plans, operational controls, and technician qualification requirements.
  • Equipment Reliability: Drive equipment readiness and operational reliability for development laboratories. Lead first-level troubleshooting efforts, coordinate advanced problem-solving activities, and partner with equipment engineering teams to minimize development downtime.
  • Engineering Partnership: Act as the primary operational partner to Process Development engineers by providing feedback regarding technician observations, process execution challenges, equipment limitations, and opportunities to improve experimental throughput and execution quality.
  • Laboratory Capability Development: Develop long-term laboratory capabilities by building technician technical expertise, improving training systems, establishing qualification standards, and implementing operational best practices that support future technology roadmaps.
  • Success Metrics: Success in this role is measured through:
    • Experimental execution quality and repeatability
    • Technology development cycle time
    • Equipment availability and laboratory readiness
    • Technician technical capability development
    • Successful deployment of new technologies and processes
    • Safety performance
    • Cross-functional engineering satisfaction
    • Operational support of Process Development objectives
  • Other duties as assigned.
  • Job description subject to change at any time.

Reporting Relationships:
  • Reports to Sr Manage of Process Development
  • May have direct reports.

Travel:
  • Up to 10% domestic and international

Estimated Salary Range:
  • 89,440 USD per year- 127,400 USD per year

US Physical Requirements:
Hybrid Physical Requirements:
  • Will sit, stand or walk short distances for up to the entire duration of a shift.
  • Will climb stairs on an occasional basis.
  • Will lift up to 27 pounds on an occasional basis, according to work instruction.
  • Will push or pull up to 27 pounds of force on an occasional basis.
  • Will push or pull up to 10 pounds of force on a frequent basis.
  • Required to use hands to grasp, lift, handle, carry or feel objects repetitively on a frequent basis.
  • 20/40 vision in each eye (with or without correction) and the ability to distinguish between red, yellow, and green is required.
  • May reach above shoulder heights and below the waist on a frequent basis.
  • May stoop, kneel, or bend, on an occasional basis.
  • Must be able to comply with all safety standards and procedures.
  • Ability to wear personal protective equipment is required (including, but not limited to; steel toed shoes, cut resistant gloves, jackets, aprons &/or arm guards, safety glasses, hearing protection).
  • All associates working on the production floor may be required to wear a respirator at any given time and thus, the ability to wear a respirator is a condition of employment and continued employment (requires little or no facial hair).

Potential candidates will meet the education and experience requirements provided on the above job description and excel in completing the listed responsibilities for this role. All candidates receiving an offer of employment must successfully complete a background check and any other tests that may be required.

What First Solar employees say

Pay

Benefits

Hours and flexibility

Workplace

Get the full story on Breakroom