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2027 Future Talent Program: Discovery Chemistry Intern

MerckBoston, MA · Rahway, NJ · West Point, PA · South San Francisco, CA

  • $39k – $111k / year
  • Internship
  • Full time

Overview

Job Description

The Future Talent Program offers internships lasting up to 12 weeks, focused on one or more specially designed projects. These opportunities in our Research & Development Division provide meaningful professional development and a chance to explore if our company fits your long-term career goals.

Our Research Lab's Discovery and Process Research Departments across multiple geographies are seeking summer interns with a passion for scientific research, strong academic performance, communication skills, and the ability to work on cross-functional teams. We offer opportunities in our state-of-the-art science laboratories to solve fundamental synthetic or biological problems relevant to drug discovery and development, while functioning as fully integrated members of company project teams.

Discovery Chemistry and Process Research (Boston, MA; Rahway, NJ; West Point, PA; South San Francisco, CA)

Candidates will work alongside company scientists in an organic synthesis laboratory to solve challenging problems in synthetic chemistry relevant to pharmaceutical research and development. Day-to-day research will focus on advancing chemical synthesis, reaction development, and enabling technologies by leveraging modern advances in organic chemistry. In addition to the discovery and development of synthetic routes to potential drug candidates, interns may engage in high-throughput and data-rich experimentation (HTE/DRE), bio- and chemocatalysis screening and development, laboratory automation, flow chemistry, labeled compound synthesis, involving data science/informatics approaches to reaction optimization and process understanding.

Interns will participate in departmental and project team meetings, gaining broad exposure to the drug discovery and development process within the pharmaceutical industry. They will gain hands-on experience addressing practical challenges encountered in pharmaceutical research and development while working as members of multidisciplinary teams. Interns will be responsible for maintaining accurate electronic laboratory notebooks and adhering to safe laboratory practices. In addition, they will have the opportunity to present their research results in both oral and written formats.

*Please note that applicants must obtain approval from their principal investigator (PI) prior to applying for this position. If the candidate is selected for an interview, the applicant must be prepared to submit letters of recommendation, a brief research statement, and a copy of transcripts.

Required Education & Experience

  • Candidates must be currently enrolled sophomore, junior, or senior students pursuing a bachelor's degree in chemistry; OR a currently enrolled graduate student pursuing a master's or Ph.D. in Chemistry.
  • Candidates must have completed at least two years of studies toward a bachelor's degree by June 2027.
  • Candidates must be available to work full-time for approximately 10-12 weeks from May - August 2027.

Preferred Experience & Skills

  • Candidates should have a strong interest in organic chemistry and its application to pharmaceutical research and development.
  • Candidates should possess basic laboratory skills and prior research experience involving standard experimental techniques and electronic laboratory notebook (ELN) documentation.
  • Candidates should have an overall GPA of 3.0 or higher (on a 4.0 scale).

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

Skills mentioned

  • Data Science
  • Laboratory Techniques
  • Organic Chemistry
  • Flow Chemistry
  • Synthetic Chemistry
  • Electronic Laboratory Notebook (ELN)
  • High-Throughput Experimentation

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