Job Description

The Future Talent Program features internships that last 10-12 weeks and will include one or more projects. These opportunities in our Research Division can provide you with great development and a chance to see if we are the right company for your long-term goals.

Our Pharmaceutical Analysis & Digital Technology (PADT) and Large Molecule Analytical (LMA) departments in Rahway, NJ, West Point, PA, Boston, MA, and South San Francisco, CA are seeking summer interns who will work collaboratively in a team environment at our state-of-the-art laboratories to develop novel analytical methodologies that impact drug substance and drug product development. Day-to-day research for the intern will focus on solving key challenges in product and process characterization.

The summer interns will be exposed to:

• Core instrumentation critical for modern analysis of small molecules, biologics, and/or vaccines, for manufacturing process characterization, and for determination of drug substance and/or drug product chemical, physical, and biological attributes. 

• Fundamentals of analytical, physical, and biological chemistry method development necessary to solve problems as a member of an integrated team in support of the small and large molecule pipeline at our company. 

• The PADT and LMA departments will expose the intern to various expert groups in the areas of screening and high-throughput analysis, molecular and physical materials characterization, structural elucidation including high end mass spectrometry and NMR techniques, separation-based techniques, assays for interrogating critical attributes of drug products, immunoassays, cell-based assays, labeled-compound analyses, trace metals analyses, and advanced statistical and data analytics/ machine learning processes, further broadening their experience.  

The interns in PADT and LMA will also participate in departmental and project team meetings to provide a broad perspective on the drug development process in the pharmaceutical industry. The interns will be responsible for accurate electronic notebook recording of experimental details and for analysis and interpretation of data that may be used for internal or external scientific publications which may follow from the internship. Interns will have the opportunity to gain further knowledge and skill sets via refinement of laboratory skills, introduction to new analytical techniques, exposure to current challenges in analytical research, and perspective on the practical aspects of drug development. In addition, the intern will have an opportunity to present their research results in both oral and written formats.

We are seeking intern candidates at all academic levels (undergraduate and graduate) with strong academic performance, communication skills, teamwork, and the ability to work in a multi- functional environment.

Locations: Rahway, NJ; West Point, PA; Boston, MA; South San Francisco, CA

This is a full-time summer internship position.

Education Requirements:

• Candidates must be a currently enrolled student pursuing a Bachelor's, Master’s, or PhD degree in Chemistry, Biology (e.g. Cell Biology, Virology), Biochemistry, Chemical/Biological Engineering, Materials Science, Pharmaceutical Science, or a related discipline. 

Required Experience and Skills:

• Candidates must be available to work full-time for 10-12 consecutive weeks beginning in May or June of 2027. 

• Candidates must have completed at least (2) years of study toward a bachelor's degree by June 2027. 

Preferred Experience and Skills:

• Candidates should have significant interest in analytical sciences for small molecules, vaccines, and/or biologics. 

• Candidates should have basic laboratory skills and research experience, such as: lab notebook recording, use of analytical instrumentation, analysis and interpretation of data, and safe lab practices. 

• Candidates should have a GPA of 3.0 or higher. 

Please note that this position may be closed before the posted end date or may remain open longer, at the discretion of the company.

Salary range:

The salary range for this role is $ $39,908 - $111,111.

FTP2027

RL2027

Required Skills:

Preferred Skills:

Current Employees apply HERE

Current Contingent Workers apply HERE

US and Puerto Rico Residents Only:

Our company is committed to inclusion, ensuring that candidates can engage in a hiring process that exhibits their true capabilities. Please click here if you need an accommodation during the application or hiring process.

As an Equal Employment Opportunity Employer, we provide equal opportunities to all employees and applicants for employment and prohibit discrimination on the basis of race, color, age, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, protected veteran status, disability status, or other applicable legally protected characteristics.  As a federal contractor, we comply with all affirmative action requirements for protected veterans and individuals with disabilities.  For more information about personal rights under the U.S. Equal Opportunity Employment laws, visit:

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We are proud to be a company that embraces the value of bringing together, talented, and committed people with diverse experiences, perspectives, skills and backgrounds. The fastest way to breakthrough innovation is when people with diverse ideas, broad experiences, backgrounds, and skills come together in an inclusive environment. We encourage our colleagues to respectfully challenge one another’s thinking and approach problems collectively.

Learn more about your rights, including under California, Colorado and other US State Acts

San Francisco Residents Only: We will consider qualified applicants with arrest and conviction records for employment in compliance with the San Francisco Fair Chance Ordinance

Los Angeles Residents Only: We will consider for employment all qualified applicants, including those with criminal histories, in a manner consistent with the requirements of applicable state and local laws, including the City of Los Angeles’ Fair Chance Initiative for Hiring Ordinance

Search Firm Representatives Please Read Carefully

Merck & Co., Inc., Rahway, NJ, USA, also known as Merck Sharp & Dohme LLC, Rahway, NJ, USA, does not accept unsolicited assistance from search firms for employment opportunities. All CVs / resumes submitted by search firms to any employee at our company without a valid written search agreement in place for this position will be deemed the sole property of our company.  No fee will be paid in the event a candidate is hired by our company as a result of an agency referral where no pre-existing agreement is in place. Where agency agreements are in place, introductions are position specific. Please, no phone calls or emails.

Employee Status:

Intern/Co-op (Fixed Term)

Relocation:

No relocation

VISA Sponsorship:

No

Travel Requirements:

No Travel Required

Flexible Work Arrangements:

Not Applicable

Shift:

1st - Day

Valid Driving License:

No

Hazardous Material(s):

possibly

Job Posting End Date:

10/17/2026

*A job posting is effective until 11:59:59PM on the day BEFORE the listed job posting end date. Please ensure you apply to a job posting no later than the day BEFORE the job posting end date.