Jobs at First Solar

Conduct reliability testing and metrology for perovskite solar modules, design and execute experiments, monitor procedures, analyze experimental data, perform root cause analysis, and communicate findings to project engineers. The intern will provide weekly project updates and present completed work to leadership. The role requires current undergraduate enrollment in an engineering, materials science, physics, or related technical program.

Build Python data pipelines for automated perovskite solar panel characterization. Extract electrical performance metrics from raw J-V data, classify device anomalies, generate pass/fail reports, and correlate electroluminescence image metrics with IV performance. The intern will establish panel screening criteria, document results, collaborate with an engineer mentor, and present project accomplishments to leadership.

Build CFD-based digital twins for industrial equipment using ANSYS FLUENT and ANSYS Twin Builder. Develop virtual simulations that predict pressure, velocity, species, and equipment performance in minutes rather than days. Complete two project phases, collaborate with an engineering mentor, optimize equipment operations, and present project accomplishments to leadership.

Spring 2027 internship supporting product strategy, market intelligence, financial modeling, and AI-enabled business intelligence. The intern will analyze datasets and market trends, build dashboards and AI assistants, develop knowledge repositories, support consultants and data providers, and collaborate across departments. The role includes leading an AI-enabled strategy or project-finance initiative and presenting its business impact to leadership.

Spring 2027 engineering internship at First Solar's Perrysburg, Ohio Manufacturing and Technology Center. The intern will complete analytical and engineering project work, collaborate across departments, participate in training and meetings, and lead at least one engineering project involving product design, competitor benchmarking, or energy prediction. The intern will present project accomplishments to leadership and gain experience in First Solar's business and technology environment.

Manages daily wastewater treatment, process water, and recycling operations, including supervisors, technicians, maintenance schedules, CMMS documentation, environmental permit compliance, hazardous waste handling, training, troubleshooting, and process improvement. Coordinates with engineering, vendors, contractors, suppliers, and EHS while maintaining safety, product quality, team performance, and operational excellence. The role includes direct reports and 10%–20% travel.

Leads strategy, roadmap, development, and lifecycle management for IoT- and AI-enabled manufacturing products. Partners with engineering, R&D, data science, marketing, sales, customers, and global stakeholders to integrate sensors, actuators, cloud platforms, machine learning, and computer vision. Drives predictive maintenance, quality automation, process optimization, security compliance, market analysis, and customer-centric product improvements.

Leads the scaling, qualification, troubleshooting, and continuous improvement of thin-film photovoltaic manufacturing processes and equipment. Partners with engineering, supply chain, EHS, quality, and equipment vendors to define requirements, qualify tools, and ramp processes to 24x7 production. Uses statistical methods, data analysis, and structured problem-solving to improve safety, throughput, yield, and performance. Develops process controls, FMEAs, documentation, and training while mentoring engineers and technicians.

Installs and qualifies manufacturing equipment, troubleshoots production and process issues, analyzes data, conducts experiments, improves yield and product performance, maintains process controls and documentation, and trains technicians and production associates. The role supports equipment, quality, throughput, and safety objectives while collaborating with internal teams and suppliers. Domestic and international travel may be required.

Design, build, test, and validate prototype samples and project modules with project engineers. Develop and execute test methods and structures, work hands-on in lab and workbench environments, document results, and present accomplishments to leadership. The internship runs approximately January 15 through May 15, 2027, with flexibility for classes that do not interfere with essential duties.

Supports Development Engineering during second-shift manufacturing operations by safely operating testing equipment, collecting and analyzing process data, preparing shift pass-down reports, documenting excursions, troubleshooting process issues, and supporting continuous improvement. The intern will collaborate with engineers, assist with finishing operations, and present project accomplishments to leadership at the internship’s conclusion.

Manages strategic and generalist HR functions, including recruiting, employee relations, benefits, training, communications, compliance, HR transactions, and policy development. Partners with leaders on workforce planning, compensation, succession planning, organizational design, and employee issues. Oversees HR staff, leads national and site-level projects, analyzes HR metrics, monitors employment legislation, and ensures effective, compliant HR operations.

Six-month intern developing machine-learning tools for perovskite process development and quality control. Responsibilities include training transfer-learning computer vision models to detect device defects and building Gaussian Process surrogate models with Ax or BoTorch to optimize manufacturing recipes. The intern will create reproducible data pipelines, collaborate with an engineering mentor, potentially extend statistical process control capabilities, and present project outcomes to leadership.

Installs and qualifies manufacturing equipment, troubleshoots production, equipment, yield, and quality issues, and implements process improvements. Designs experiments, analyzes performance data, maintains gauges and process controls, develops documentation and SOPs, supports equipment suppliers, and trains technicians and production associates. The role also maintains drawings and specifications, enforces safety standards, and may supervise employees. Travel of 10%–20%, including possible international travel, is required.

Development Engineer Interns collaborate with project engineers to design, build, test, and validate prototype samples and project modules. They may develop and execute test methods and structures, work hands-on in laboratory and workbench environments, document results, and present project accomplishments to leadership. The internship runs approximately January 15 through May 15, 2027, with opportunities to contribute to sustainable energy projects.

Leads shift engineering and maintenance technicians supporting module manufacturing equipment, process control, uptime, safety, quality, yield, and throughput. Supervises work assignments, troubleshooting, preventive maintenance, contractors, vendors, staffing, training, performance, and employee relations. Ensures production readiness, SPC response, maintenance-system compliance, hazardous-waste handling, and continuous improvement. Coordinates startups, shutdowns, changeovers, process-control activities, and corrective actions while enforcing EHS, quality, housekeeping, and company standards.

Executes end-to-end planning for spare and IDM materials, balancing global supply and demand to support manufacturing operations. Manages inventory levels, planned orders, supplier forecasts, material master data, transitions, and exception reporting. Collaborates globally to resolve capacity constraints, optimize inventory and financial metrics, and minimize obsolescence. The role requires SAP or ERP experience, data analysis, cross-functional communication, and adherence to quality, safety, and audit procedures.

Develops, scales, transfers, and sustains thin-film solar manufacturing processes and equipment. Responsibilities include process experimentation, statistical analysis, troubleshooting, equipment qualification, continuous improvement, process documentation, and cross-functional collaboration in a 24/7 manufacturing environment. The role uses SQL, Python, JMP, and Power BI for data analysis, works with equipment suppliers, mentors junior staff, and supports safety, quality, throughput, yield, and performance improvements.

Supports global manufacturing facilities by designing, programming, commissioning, troubleshooting, and optimizing electrical control systems. Responsibilities include PLC/HMI programming, equipment start-ups, vendor check-outs, control network integration, electrical drawing maintenance, robotic systems support, safety compliance, and coordination of new equipment installations. The engineer collaborates with internal departments, suppliers, and senior engineers on small-scale controls projects and global manufacturing initiatives.

Leads development engineering research for perovskite and thin-film solar cells. Investigates device performance, variability, reliability, and failure modes; owns metrology and quality-control methods; develops process-performance correlations; optimizes materials, equipment, and manufacturing processes; analyzes large datasets; conducts reliability testing; and executes laboratory and manufacturing experiments. The role also supports cross-functional projects, mentors colleagues, and may manage junior staff.