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.

The Quantitative Biosciences department is looking for a highly talented and motivated data science student to join our ranks. Collaborating closely with experienced pharmaceutical industry scientists, the chosen candidate will apply their skills in data analysis to contribute to the discovery and advancement of novel medicines across multiple therapeutic areas.

The successful candidate will:

• Perform statistical analyses of data from and/or statistical research related to basic drug research.
• Help develop novel data pipelines that move, integrate and analyze diverse sources of biological data that aid in the profiling of therapeutic candidates or improving the chances of translation.
• Develop and apply computational methods and machine learning models to foundational data sets to improve drug discovery processes.
• Help wrangle and analyze unstructured and structured data that will drive new translational strategies for the company.
• Engineering data pipelines between reporting environments and core databases: design and implement automated data connectors to establish seamless, bidirectional or automated data transfer between enterprise databases and reporting platforms.
• Communicate data progress during internal meetings; deliver a verbal presentation at the completion of training; participate in scientific exchange with our Company scientists.

We value open communication, creative-thinking, strong teamwork, and rigorous scientific exploration.

If you are a highly motivated team player with enthusiasm for learning new techniques who thrives on challenge and has a strong desire to impact drug discovery, we invite you to apply.

Required Education & Experience:

• Candidates must be currently enrolled in a full-time degree program in Data Science / Computer Science or a related Bioscience discipline with substantial computational coursework; and have completed at least 2 years of studies toward BS/BA or at least 1 year towards master’s/PhD by the start of the internship.
• Available to work full-time for 10-12 weeks beginning in May or June of 2027.
• Superior verbal and written communication skills and a demonstrated record of strong academic achievement.

Preferred Experience & Skills:

• Database & SQL Proficiency.
• Exposure to cloud data warehouses (Amazon Redshift, AWS S3) and database clients (DBeaver, SQL Workbench).
• Experience working with large data sets including the use of analytical and visualization software programs (Visual Analytics / BI Tools).
• Experience in at least one coding language (Python/R/MATLAB).
• Self-motivated and detail-orientated with excellent record keeping and organizational skills.

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.

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.

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.

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): N/A

Job Posting End Date: 10/23/2026