Job Description

Our Research & Development Division Data, AI & Genome Sciences (D&GS) 2027 Future Talent Program

The Future Talent Program within our Research & Development Division Data, AI & Genome Sciences (DAGS) Department is offering two computational co-op positions for a six-month term. These roles are designed to give students hands-on experience applying computational methods to real drug-discovery questions, develop their skills, and help both the student and the team evaluate longer-term fit. We are seeking highly motivated, talented students with strong computational and quantitative skills.

Location: Cambridge MA, Boston MA, or South San Francisco CA (remote may be considered)

Term: Full-time, six months

The roles:

1. Computational Oncology

Analyze and integrate large transcriptomic datasets to understand tumor biology and support target and biomarker discovery. Projects may include:

• Analysis of bulk and single-cell RNA-seq data - quality control, cell-type annotation, and characterization of tumor and tumor-microenvironment cell states.
• Relating molecular profiles to drug and therapy response using large-scale screening and sequencing datasets, to help prioritize and evaluate candidate targets.
• Characterizing the transcriptional response to therapeutic perturbation (e.g. targeted agents, antibody-drug conjugates, immunotherapy) to inform mechanism of action.
• Building clear, reproducible analyses and visualizations that communicate findings to project teams.

2. Computational Immunology

Apply computational methods to immune-profiling datasets to better understand disease biology and the immune response, and to support target evaluation. Projects may include:

• Analysis of immune-focused sequencing data (e.g. single-cell and bulk RNA-seq) to characterize immune cell states and their changes across disease and treatment.
• Analysis, implementation, and visualization of methods for studying interactions among disease-relevant biological networks.
• Data mining of internal and external molecular databases to support therapeutic discovery, disease stratification, and biomarker identification.

Required education and skills

• Currently enrolled in at least a Bachelor's degree program in biological sciences, computational biology, bioinformatics, or a related quantitative field. Students in graduate programs (MS or PhD) are highly encouraged to apply.
• Available to work full-time for six months.

Preferred skills and experience

• Excellent academic achievement and analytical ability.
• Strong communication and interpersonal skills, and the ability to work well in a collaborative team.
• Demonstrated interest or experience in any of - molecular biology, immunology, oncology, cancer biology, neuroscience, or bioinformatics.
• Programming experience in R and/or Python.
• Experience analyzing bulk or single-cell sequencing datasets (e.g. RNA-seq, scRNA-seq) and familiarity with standard statistical and visualization methods.
• Comfort working with large datasets and cloud or high-performance computing environments is a plus.

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

Additional location(s) Compensation Information:

Required Skills:

Bioinformatics, Biological Network Analysis, Biomarker Identification, Cellular Immunology, Clinical Research, Computational Biology, Computer Programming, Database Management, Data Science, Data Security, High Performance Computing (HPC), Immune Response, Immunology, Immunotherapy, Mechanism of Action, Molecular Biology, Oncology, Project Management, Python (Programming Language), RNA-Seq, Single-Cell Genomics, Software Proficiency, Transcriptomics, Tumor Microenvironment

Preferred Skills:

Current Employees apply HERE

Current Contingent Workers apply HERE

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:

Hybrid

Shift:

Not Indicated

Valid Driving License:

No

Hazardous Material(s):

NA

Job Posting End Date:

12/4/2026

*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.