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:

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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.

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.

Requisition ID:R424008