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 company is on a quest for cures and is committed to being the world’s premier, most research-intensive biopharmaceutical company. Today, we’re doubling down on this goal. Our Research & Development Division is a true scientific research facility of tomorrow and will take our company’s leading discovery capabilities and world-class small molecule, vaccines, and biologics R&D expertise to create breakthrough science that radically changes the way we approach serious diseases. 

Our Research & Development Division's Biologics Process Research and Development (BPR&D) department is seeking summer interns who will work collaboratively in a team environment at our state-of-the-art laboratories to develop novel bioprocess technologies and solve key challenges in biopharmaceutical process development and manufacturing. BPR&D is responsible for developing manufacturing processes and associated technologies for our company's biologics pipeline. BPR&D includes three main technical functional areas/groups: Process Cell Sciences (PCS) which also interfaces with our company’s discovery teams, Biologics’ Process Development (BPD) which includes both upstream and downstream bioprocessing, and US-based Manufacturing Operations (USMO). This job posting covers opportunities for interns in all the above three functional areas.

The summer interns will be exposed to: 

• Fundamentals of bioprocessing, which are necessary to solve problems as a member of an integrated team in support of the large molecule pipeline at our company.
• Expert groups in the areas of cell line development and engineering, upstream and downstream process development, high throughput screening, media development, -omics, and continuous bioprocessing
• State-of-the-art bioprocessing approaches, automation and engineering technologies, equipment, and facilities used for manufacturing modern biopharmaceuticals.

The interns in BPR&D 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 skillsets via refinement of laboratory skills, introduction to new experimental techniques, exposure to current challenges in bioprocess research, and perspectives on the practical aspects of drug development. In addition, the intern student will have an opportunity to present their research results in both oral and written formats.

This is a full-time internship position wherein we are seeking intern candidates at all levels with strong academic performance, communication skills, teamwork, and the ability to work in a multi-functional and fast-paced environment.

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

Education:

• Required: 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, Engineering (Chemical, Mechanical, Electrical), 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 biopharmaceuticals or facilities/maintenance.
• Candidates should have basic laboratory skills (lab notebook recording, use of instrumentation, analysis and interpretation of data, and safe lab practices), research experience, along with a problem-solving attitude.
• For USMO - Candidates should have familiarity with engineering tools such as computer-aided design (CAD) software, Distributed Control Systems (DCS)/ Programmable Logic Controllers (PLC), data historians and piping & Instrumentation Diagrams (P&IDs)
• Candidates should have skills in data science, computational biomolecular modeling, and machine learning
• Candidates should have a GPA of 3.0 or higher (preferred)

To learn more about the PRD team, click: Join Our Process Research & Development Team

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

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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.

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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

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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. 

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