Solar Materials & Device R&D Intern

First Solar, Inc.; Santa Clara (CA); On-site; USD 39,000 - 47,000; Full time

Job summary

First Solar offers an internship spanning January 4 to May 21, 2027, with flexibility to balance classes. Interns support fabrication of research-scale photovoltaic devices, assist in developing new processes and materials, and help characterize thin films.

The program emphasizes hands-on learning, safety compliance, and presenting a final project to leadership. Applicants should be undergraduate juniors pursuing STEM degrees, with basic MS Office skills, good communication, and attention to

Qualifications

• Undergraduate student in a STEM field, with emphasis on materials or chemistry.
• Must be pursuing a degree in related STEM fields and register internship with university.
• Familiarity with MS Office and basic troubleshooting; strong communication and attention to detail.

Responsibilities

• Support fabrication of research-scale photovoltaic devices and standard/non-standard processes.
• Assist development of novel processes and materials for thin-film PV devices.
• Support electrical and material characterization of thin films and PV devices.
• Present accomplishments and project summary to leadership after internship.

Skills

MS Office

Troubleshooting

Communication

Attention to detail

SOP compliance

Education

Junior year undergrad

STEM degree in Materials/Chemistry/Physics/EE/Chemical Eng

University internship registration encouraged

Tools

Vacuum equipment

Photovoltaic device fabrication/testing

Analytical instruments (UV-Vis, AFM, SEM, SIMS, XRD, XRR, ellipsometry)

Job description

First Solar offers an internship spanning January 4 to May 21, 2027, with flexibility to balance classes. Interns support fabrication of research-scale photovoltaic devices, assist in developing new processes and materials, and help characterize thin films.

The program emphasizes hands-on learning, safety compliance, and presenting a final project to leadership. Applicants should be undergraduate juniors pursuing STEM degrees, with basic MS Office skills, good communication, and attention to