First Solar Internship 2027–2028: Programs, Deadlines & How to Apply

Last updated: August 2026

First Solar is the only US-headquartered company among the world's largest solar manufacturers, running a $4.1B US manufacturing expansion across five factories (three in Ohio, plus Alabama and Louisiana) with roughly 7,900 employees as of March 2026. Its interns do not fetch coffee: each one leads a real engineering project and presents the results to the leadership team at the end of the term. The program is paid, project-based, and released term by term, and the seats for summer 2027 are expected to open as early as fall 2026. Here is everything you need to know to land one.

Quick Facts

First Solar runs a paid, project-based intern program (no single named cohort, but roughly ten function-specific roles per term) primarily in Perrysburg, Ohio. Postings are rolling and term-based, pay runs about $18–39/hr, the engineering track needs a 3.0+ GPA, and interns average just ~10 days from application to hire, so applying the week a role opens matters.

Externships are short, remote projects where you finish real work for a real company. The Wayfair AI Agent Engineering Externship and Hydroficient IoT Cyber Defense Externship build the applied-AI, manufacturing-systems, and sensor-monitoring evidence that First Solar's project-based intern program rewards. Explore all Externships.

What Is a First Solar Internship?

A First Solar internship is a paid, on-site, project-based program run primarily out of the company's Manufacturing & Technology Center in Perrysburg, Ohio, the hub of the largest solar-panel manufacturer headquartered in the United States. First Solar (NASDAQ: FSLR) was founded in 1999, is headquartered in Tempe, Arizona, and builds thin-film cadmium telluride (CdTe) photovoltaic modules, the only large-scale alternative to conventional silicon panels. Rather than one branded cohort, the company posts many function-specific intern and co-op roles each term across engineering, software, AI, data science, materials R&D, supply chain, IT, and business functions. What ties them together is the model: every intern leads at least one defined project, works alongside a mentor in a real plant or lab environment, and presents accomplishments to leadership at term end. It is a hands-on, factory-floor experience aimed at building a talent pipeline for one of the fastest-growing US manufacturers.

When Do First Solar Internship Applications Open for 2027–2028?

First Solar does not publish a fixed application calendar. Instead it releases intern postings on a rolling, term-based schedule (Spring, Summer, and Fall), opening each term's roles roughly two to four months ahead and reviewing applications as they arrive. The documented 2026 cycle is the best guide to what summer 2027 will look like: the Summer 2026 Product & Technology intern role told applicants to apply by 18 May 2026 for a June start, while Fall 2026 roles were posted as early as July 2026. Projecting that pattern, applications for summer 2027 are expected to open around fall 2026 and roll through spring 2027. The single most important date is not on any calendar yet, so the move is to start monitoring the First Solar Oracle careers portal in fall 2026 and apply the week your term's posting appears.

Why You Must Apply the Week Applications Open

First Solar reviews applications as they arrive and warns on its own postings that a role "may close before the stated closing date." For interns the funnel moves fast: Glassdoor data shows interns average about 10 days from application to hire, versus 24 days company-wide, one of the quickest intern processes around. That speed cuts both ways. Because roles are term-based and rolling, the strongest candidates who apply in the first week are often interviewing before later applicants have even submitted, and the seat can fill before any stated deadline arrives. So when summer 2027 roles are expected to appear across fall 2026 through spring 2027, treat the day your track goes live as the day to apply. Set an alert on the Oracle careers portal, keep a tailored resume ready, and if First Solar recruits at your campus, get in front of them at the career fair, where 29% of interns first made contact.

Which First Solar Internship Programs Should You Target?

First Solar does not run a single named intern cohort. Instead it posts distinct, function-specific intern and co-op roles each term, and at the August 2026 snapshot Glassdoor listed roughly ten open intern positions. The tracks below are the most common and most intern-heavy, drawn from real 2026 job descriptions. Nearly all are based at the Perrysburg, Ohio Manufacturing & Technology Center, and every one centers on leading a real project.

See live roles on the First Solar careers portal at firstsolar.com/en/Careers (the underlying US job board is Oracle Cloud Recruiting). Engineering and materials roles cluster in Perrysburg, Ohio; a handful of business roles sit at the Phoenix, Arizona headquarters. First Solar also states a preference for candidates who can work multiple terms, so co-op-style availability is an edge.

What Are the Eligibility Requirements?

Requirements vary by track, but the 2026 intern job descriptions are consistent on the fundamentals:

• GPA floor: The engineering (Product & Technology) track requires an overall GPA of 3.00 or higher on a 4.0 scale, stated verbatim in multiple postings. Other technical tracks emphasize relevant coursework over a hard number.

• Academic standing: Engineering interns are undergraduates in Mechanical, Chemical, or Electrical Engineering. Software interns need about two years of CS or Management Information Systems coursework; AI and Data Science interns are within their last two years of a four-year degree or in a Master's or PhD program.

• Work authorization: Legal authorization to work in the US is required across intern postings, and the Product & Technology role lists work rights as US Citizen or US Permanent Resident. Intern-level visa sponsorship is not documented.

• Clearances: All interns must pass a background check and "any other required tests"; Glassdoor data shows a drug test appears in roughly 10–12% of processes.

• Physical reality: This is a factory-floor environment. The Product & Technology posting lists the ability to sit, stand, or walk for up to 12 hours a day, lift up to 58 pounds, and wear required PPE.

Does First Solar Prefer Co-op (Multi-Term) Interns?

Yes, and it says so directly. First Solar states a preference for candidates available for multiple terms, and several tracks are framed as spanning "Spring to Summer terms with some flexibility." The program is effectively co-op-friendly: you can enroll in classes concurrently as long as it does not interfere with the role, and First Solar encourages every intern to register the internship with their university, which is often required for co-op credit. If you can commit to more than one term, say so in your application. The multiple-term preference signals that First Solar treats the internship as a genuine pipeline into full-time engineering roles, even though it publishes no official conversion rate.

What Skills Does First Solar Look For, and How Do You Build Them?

Across five real 2026 First Solar intern job descriptions (Product & Technology, Software Engineer, AI, Data Science, and Thin Film Material Development), two requirements appear in every single posting: the ability to work cross-functionally with strong written and interpersonal communication, and the expectation that you lead a defined project and present it to leadership at term end. After that, the technical picture splits by track: Python and SQL dominate the software, AI, and data roles, while machine learning, generative AI, manufacturing systems, and cloud/data engineering show up in the AI and data-science postings. The chart below counts how often each skill appeared across those five JDs.

How Is Demand for Field-Engineer Interns Moving Right Now?

Build These Skills Before You Apply

And every skill in that chart maps to a remote Externship where you finish a real, company-backed project before First Solar's summer 2027 postings even open.

How close is the overlap? The Hydroficient IoT project puts you on exactly the kind of sensor-and-systems monitoring work First Solar's manufacturing-software interns do, the Wayfair build gives you the applied AI/ML evidence its AI and data tracks probe for, and the Amazon operations project builds the supply-chain-analytics story its Integrated Supply Chain intern role wants.

What Is the First Solar Application and Interview Process Like?

First Solar's intern hiring is interview-based, not test-based: Glassdoor's intern data (nine interviews) shows no standardized coding OA, a 2.8/5 difficulty rating, and a 100% positive experience. Here is the typical path:

1. Apply through the careers portal. Go to the First Solar US job portal (linked from firstsolar.com/en/Careers), filter by "Intern" and location (Perrysburg, OH is the main hub), and apply online with a tailored resume. About 29% of interns applied online and another 29% came through campus recruiting, so attend your school's career fair if First Solar recruits there.

2. Recruiter screen. A First Solar recruiter reaches out by phone or Microsoft Teams to confirm your background, availability (including whether you can work overtime), and fit.

3. Hiring-manager interview. A deeper conversation on your background, project fit, and technical expertise, often on Teams. Expect behavioral prompts like "How did you take on a challenging task and execute it?"

4. Team or panel interview. Frequently in person at Perrysburg (sometimes on Teams), with thoughtful, resume-driven questions and behavioral scenarios such as describing a difficult tradeoff decision.

5. Background check and any required tests. A drug, skills, or personality test may be added; these appear in only a minority of processes.

6. Offer. Interns average about 10 days from application to hire. Once hired, register your internship with your university if you need co-op credit.

Two notes. First, the process is fast and communication is generally praised: candidates on Reddit describe First Solar as unusually transparent for a manufacturer. Second, one anti-scam reminder from First Solar's own careers page: legitimate recruiting comes by phone from a First Solar recruiter based on the application you submitted, and the company never asks you to buy equipment or software as a condition of an offer.

What Students on Reddit Say

First Solar-specific threads are thin, so the takeaways below are paraphrased consensus from the threads' titles and discussion, not direct quotes.

How Do You Stand Out for a First Solar Internship?

Three moves, all doable before summer 2027 postings open. First, clear the GPA and coursework bar and make it obvious on your resume: a 3.0+ GPA is an explicit floor for the engineering track, and the technical tracks want visible Python, SQL, or ML coursework. Second, bring a project you led from start to finish, because First Solar's entire program is built around leading one project and presenting it to leadership, so a candidate who already has a shipped, presented project is speaking the program's language. Third, use the fast, campus-driven funnel: 29% of interns came in through campus recruiting, so meet First Solar at your career fair, apply the week your term's posting appears, and signal that you can work multiple terms. If you want project evidence you can point to now, a remote Externship gives you a finished, company-backed deliverable in exactly the manufacturing-software, AI, or supply-chain space First Solar hires into.

What Other Companies Should You Consider?

First Solar sits at the intersection of clean-energy manufacturing and engineering. If you are building a solar and energy internship list, these are the natural neighbors to weigh alongside it:

Our engineering internships summer 2027 guide maps the whole landscape, timeline by timeline.

FAQ

Can I still apply for a summer 2026 First Solar internship?

Almost certainly not. First Solar's Summer 2026 Product & Technology intern role told applicants to apply by 18 May 2026 for a June start, so that window has closed. By August 2026 the open postings are Fall 2026 roles (some listing "apply by" dates in early August). If your goal is a summer internship, target summer 2027: expect those postings to open around fall 2026 and roll through spring 2027, and set an alert on the First Solar Oracle careers portal now.

Does First Solar offer internships?

Yes. First Solar runs a paid, project-based intern and co-op program, primarily at its Perrysburg, Ohio Manufacturing & Technology Center, spanning engineering, software, AI, data science, materials/R&D, supply chain, IT, and business functions. Roles are posted each term (Spring, Summer, Fall) rather than as one branded cohort.

What GPA do I need for a First Solar internship?

The engineering (Product & Technology) track requires an overall GPA of 3.00 or higher on a 4.0 scale, stated verbatim in the job descriptions. Other technical tracks emphasize relevant coursework in CS, ML, data science, or engineering over a specific GPA number.

How much do First Solar interns get paid?

Employer-provided hourly ranges from 2026 postings span roughly $18–39/hr depending on role and level: Product & Technology $18–25, Software Engineer $22–25, Data Science $18–30, and AI $18–39. Community data on Glassdoor averages around $20/hr. No housing or relocation benefit is stated for interns.

Where are First Solar internships located?

Most intern roles are in Perrysburg, Ohio, the Manufacturing & Technology Center and main hub. Others sit in Walbridge, Ohio and at the Phoenix/Tempe, Arizona headquarters. Production sites in Trinity, Alabama; Iberia Parish, Louisiana; and Gaffney, South Carolina carry fewer intern postings. Engineering and manufacturing intern roles are on-site.

How long is a First Solar internship?

Typically 3 to 5 months, term-based (Spring/Summer/Fall) with some flexibility. Data Science roles run "three months or longer" and the AI role is a single term with potential to extend. You can enroll in classes concurrently, and multiple-term (co-op) availability is preferred.

What is the First Solar intern interview process like?

For interns: a phone or Teams recruiter screen, a hiring-manager interview, and a team/panel interview, plus a background check. Glassdoor rates intern interview difficulty 2.8/5 with a 100% positive experience, and interns average about 10 days from application to hire. Expect behavioral questions and resume-driven technical discussion; no LeetCode-style online assessment is documented for interns.

Does First Solar sponsor visas for interns, and do interns get return offers?

Intern-level visa sponsorship is not documented; the Product & Technology role lists work rights as US Citizen or US Permanent Resident, and legal US work authorization is required across postings. First Solar also publishes no official intern-to-full-time conversion rate, though its stated preference for multiple-term candidates signals pipeline intent.

First Solar's summer 2027 intern postings are expected to open as early as fall 2026, and they move fast once they do. Spend the runway building proof: a remote Externship turns interest in clean-energy manufacturing into a finished, company-backed project you can point to the moment a First Solar role goes live.