Job Description

The Future Talent Program features internships that last up to 12 weeks and will include one or more projects. These opportunities in our Research and Development 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's Regulated Bioanalytical Sciences group supports development and interpretation of bioanalytical and immunogenicity assays for biologics and other therapeutic modalities. The successful candidate will contribute to an innovative translational immunogenicity project focused on improving the mechanistic interpretation of non-human primate (NHP) anti-drug antibody (ADA) data.

This internship provides an opportunity to work alongside scientists supporting preclinical and clinical development of antibody-based therapeutics while gaining exposure to regulated bioanalysis, assay strategy, experimental design, and data interpretation in a pharmaceutical research environment.

Project Overview:
Preclinical immunogenicity assessments are an important part of biotherapeutic drug development, but interpretation can be challenging because immune responses observed in nonclinical species may not always translate directly to clinical immunogenicity risk. This internship project will evaluate an improved assay interpretation strategy for non-human primate (NHP) anti-drug antibody (ADA) data using available samples and established bioanalytical assay platforms. The goal is to better distinguish broadly assay-reactive signals from responses that are more relevant to drug-specific immunogenicity, thereby supporting more informative preclinical-to-clinical interpretation for antibody-based therapeutics.

Primary Responsibilities

• Support evaluation of preclinical ADA assay data using established bioanalytical methods

• Analyze available NHP sample data and compare assay signal patterns across testing conditions

• Assist with data organization, quality checks, and interpretation of assay trends

• Explore approaches to improve the scientific interpretation of preclinical immunogenicity findings

• Summarize results in the context of translational immunogenicity risk assessment for biologics

• Prepare technical summaries and present project outcomes at the end-of-summer intern symposium

Required Education

• Currently pursuing a Bachelor's, Master's, or Ph.D. degree in:

  • Biology

  • Immunology

  • Biochemistry

  • Biomedical Engineering

  • Biotechnology

  • Data Science

  • Computer Science

  • Related scientific discipline

Required Qualifications:

• Candidates must be able to complete a 10-12 consecutive-week internship between May and August of 2027

• Candidates must have completed at least 2 years of study toward a bachelor’s degree

• Candidates must be enrolled full-time in the Fall Semester at an accredited university/college after the completion of the internship

• Candidates must be able to work independently and in a team environment

• Candidates must have strong verbal and written communication skills, presentation skills, and interpersonal skills

• Candidate must have proficiency with MS Office Suite

Required Skills

• Prior experience and knowledge in applying or leveraging AI/ML tools for research, data analysis, etc

• Curiosity, organization, and motivation to interpret experimental results in a scientific context

• Basic laboratory experience and ability to follow experimental protocols

• Strong attention to detail and careful documentation habits

• Interest in immunology, bioanalysis, antibody biology, or biotherapeutic drug development

• Experience using Microsoft Excel or similar tools for data organization and analysis

• Effective verbal and written scientific communication skills

• Ability to work independently and collaboratively in a team environment

• Efficient, organized, and able to handle short timelines in a fast-paced environment

• Critical thinking, ability to identify issues and seek solutions

Preferred Skills

• Familiarity with ligand-binding assays, ELISA, or immunoassay formats

• Knowledge of immunogenicity testing, antibody biology, or biotherapeutic drug development

• Experience with bioanalytical data analysis, assay troubleshooting, or comparative method evaluation

• Interest in regulated bioanalysis, translational science, and preclinical-to-clinical interpretation

Learning Opportunities

The intern will gain exposure to:

• Regulated bioanalysis and immunogenicity assay strategy for biologics

• Interpretation of preclinical ADA data and translational immunogenicity risk assessment

• Assay design principles and scientific approaches for improving data interpretation

• Data comparison across assay conditions and interpretation of assay signal patterns

• Scientific communication within a pharmaceutical research organization

Expected Deliverables

• Comparative analysis of preclinical ADA assay data across selected testing conditions

• Technical summary describing key findings, interpretation, and recommended next steps

• Final presentation summarizing project rationale, analysis approach, results, and potential impact on translational immunogenicity assessment

This project could help the group improve the scientific interpretation of preclinical immunogenicity data and strengthen confidence in preclinical-to-clinical translation for biologic therapeutics. The intern will gain hands-on exposure to regulated bioanalysis, immunogenicity risk assessment, assay data interpretation, and scientific communication while contributing to an impactful project at the interface of bioanalysis and translational science.

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 $39,108 through $111,111.

FTP2027

RL2027

Required Skills:

Preferred Skills:

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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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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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