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 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 South San Francisco research laboratory is seeking an innovative drug hunter with in-vitro background in biology or chemical biology to join the cardiometabolic disease department as a 2026 Summer Intern, providing in-vitro support to obesity related pipeline programs. The individual will perform experiments in the laboratory with minimal guidance and supervision in the design, execution, and interpretation of complex in vitro/ex vivo studies to support target identification, validation, and therapeutic development. The successful candidate will also possess a strong sense of intellectual curiosity to expand their technical expertise at the bench, as well as effective written and interpersonal communication skills to explain complex experiments and biological concepts to a broader scientific team.

Key Responsibilities may include:

• Establish key assays and model systems, suitable for the mechanistic investigation of potential targets, as well as evaluation of therapeutic candidates, for metabolic diseases.

• Perform molecular biology, cellular biology, cell-based assay, and ex vivo sample processing and analysis.

• Design, perform, troubleshoot, document, analyze and interpret assigned research, with minimal supervision, to support exploratory activities as well as project focused goals.

• Scour and critically evaluate current literature to identify opportunities for new and existing programs.

• Work independently in executing tightly controlled experiments, analyzing data, and presenting to teams within the disease area. 

• Solve complex problems by undertaking innovative approaches and applying state-of-the art technologies. 

Education:

• Near completion of a Bachelor’s Degree, or pursuing a Master’s Degree, with 1 or more years of relevant industry or academic lab experience in chemical biology, molecular and cellular biology, pharmacology, biology, or other relevant scientific discipline.

Required Experience and Skills:

• Must have experience working with rodent or human pre-clinical tissues, primary cells, or cell lines in both routine and complex novel assay systems.

• Must have availability for full-time work during June–August 2026 (10-12 weeks)

Preferred Experience and Skills:

• Should have experience in the following areas: target identification & validation, quantitative assay development, adipose or muscle biology, immunology in the context of insulin resistance.

• Should have experience working with GPCR targets and performing quantitative cAMP assays.

• Should have experience with routine immunoassays (bead or plate based).

• Should have experience with standard molecular biology techniques (western blotting, qPCR, etc).

• Should be able to work independently and is able to simultaneously handle a diverse workload with strong organizational and time management skills.

• Should possess strong communication and interpersonal skills as well as the ability to work flexibly in a dynamic team environment. 

• Should have scientific curiosity, analytical mindset with a drive to own a project to understand biology, mechanism of action and drive it through the discovery pipeline. 

Please note that this position may be closed before the posted end date or may remain open longer, at the discretion of the company.

Under New York City, Colorado State, Washington State, and California State law, the Company is required to provide a reasonable estimate of the salary range for this job. Final determinations with respect to salary will take into account a number of factors, which may include, but not be limited to the primary work location and the chosen candidate’s relevant skills, experience, and education.

Salary range:

The salary range for this role is $39,600.00-$105,500.00 USD

FTP2026

RL2026

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:

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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.

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:

Not Indicated

Valid Driving License:

No

Hazardous Material(s):

Yes

Required Skills:

Assay, Assay, Assay Development, Biochemical Assays, Business, Cell-Based Assays, Cell Physiology, Chemical Biology, Clinical Research, Cloud Data Catalog, Communication, Data Analysis, Database Management, Data Science, Data Security, Data Visualization, Data Wrangling, Detail-Oriented, Event Planning, Immunoassays, In Vitro Studies, Key Performance Indicators (KPI), Molecular Biology, Molecular Microbiology, Pharmacokinetics {+ 5 more}

 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.