2026 Future Talent Program – Intern

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 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 Chemical Engineering Research and Development department (CERD) within Merch Research Lab's Small Molecule Process Research & Development (SM PRD) organization is seeking interns who will operate as fully integrated members of our team for 11-12 weeks during summer 2026. Day-to-day research for the intern will focus on CERD department objectives such as small molecule drug substance process development using organic synthesis techniques, technology innovation, and process safety evaluation. This internship will provide insight into our department and company culture, teach the fundamentals of the pharmaceutical industry, and highlight opportunities throughout our Research & Development Division and our Manufacturing Division.

Interns in CERD will participate in departmental and team meetings, have access to seminars on all aspects of pharmaceutical development, and network with mentors. Tours of pilot plants and development labs, as well as, a visit to a formulation facility may be integrated into the internship program to diversify exposure. 

The CERD department develops the processing knowledge necessary to successfully scale-up and efficiently produce small molecule active pharmaceutical ingredients (APIs) at a commercial scale. Development efforts focus on ensuring robust, cost-effective, safe, environmentally benign chemical processes and advancing technologies for the laboratories, pilot plants, and manufacturing facilities to secure a competitive advantage for our company.

Members also work closely with Commercialization sites to ensure the successful transfer and validation of the factory process and to provide material for product launch.

CERD also invests in the development of new technologies and workflows to enable efficient process development.  This work spans across diverse unit operations such as reaction engineering, biocatalysis, and particle engineering.  The scouting of technologies and evaluation of their applications presents a unique opportunity for innovation and broad impact across the product portfolio.

The intern will work with a technical mentor on a chemical engineering research project and will be responsible for accurate electronic notebook recording, experimental set-up techniques, interpretation of results, and safe lab practices. By taking ownership of the research project, the intern will utilize their chemical engineering skill set, become a subject matter expert on their topic, and will have the opportunity to present their results to the entire department.

We are seeking intern candidates with innovative minds, hands-on laboratory skills, strong communication skills, technical know-how, teamwork, self-initiative, and the ability to work in a multi-functional and collaborative environment. We hope to provide interns with a great development opportunity and a chance to see if we are the right company for their long-term goals.  

Education Minimum Requirement:  

• Candidates must be a student pursuing Bachelor's degree, Master’s degree, or PhD in Chemical Engineering or Biochemical Engineering with a target graduation date of Winter 2026 or Spring 2027

• Candidates must be available for employment for 11-12 weeks during the months of June - August 2026

• Candidates must be authorized to work in the U.S.

Required Experience and Skills:

• Candidates must have experience performing lab-based research/process development in a chemical engineering-related area

Preferred Experience and Skills:  

• Candidates should have strong technical/problem solving skills including grasp of chemical engineering fundamentals

• Candidates should have strong interest in process/technology development and process scale-up moving from laboratory to pilot plant or production scale

• Candidates should have knowledge of organic chemistry and small molecule drug substance synthesis unit operations (e.g. reaction, distillation, extraction, crystallization, filtration, drying)

• Candidates should have a high level of innovation, creativity, and self-initiative along with the ability to plan and organize activities

• Candidates should have strong communication and collaboration 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 $39,600.00-$105,500.00 USD

FTP2026

RL2026

PRD

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.  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:

EEOC Know Your Rights

EEOC GINA Supplement​

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

U.S. Hybrid Work Model

Effective September 5, 2023, employees in office-based positions in the U.S. will be working a Hybrid work consisting of three total days on-site per week, Monday - Thursday, although the specific days may vary by site or organization, with Friday designated as a remote-working day, unless business critical tasks require an on-site presence.This Hybrid work model does not apply to, and daily in-person attendance is required for, field-based positions; facility-based, manufacturing-based, or research-based positions where the work to be performed is located at a Company site; positions covered by a collective-bargaining agreement (unless the agreement provides for hybrid work); or any other position for which the Company has determined the job requirements cannot be reasonably met working remotely. Please note, this Hybrid work model guidance also does not apply to roles that have been designated as “remote”.

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. 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:

Not Applicable

Shift:

1st - Day

Valid Driving License:

No

Hazardous Material(s):

n/a

Required Skills:

 Preferred Skills:

Job Posting End Date:

11/3/2025

*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.