Job Description

The Future Talent Program features Cooperative (Co-op) education that lasts up to 6 months 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 Future Talent Program within our Company's Data, AI, and Genome Sciences (DAGS) Department is offering Co-op opportunities that last a period of 6 months. We have 1 position at the Cambridge, MA location. These projects are designed to enable students to further develop their skills and to evaluate if we are the right company for their long-term goals. We are seeking highly motivated and talented students with computational skills and experience.

The projects will be in one of the following areas:

Genome Sciences (1 position, On Site in Cambridge MA):

Evaluation of leading edge cellular and genomics technologies including single cell CRISPR-sequencing and spatial transcriptomics.
Application of cellular and genomic technologies towards the functional validation of targets and pathways.
Analysis of sequencing datasets (e.g. Spatial Transcriptomics) with state-of-the-art methods to better understand disease biology and support target candidate evaluation.

Required Education and Skills:

Candidates must be currently enrolled in a minimum of a Bachelor's degree program in Biological Sciences or a related field of study. Students enrolled in graduate programs (MS or PhD) are highly encouraged to apply.
Candidates must be available to work full-time for 6 months in 2026.

Candidates must have excellent academic achievement and analytical ability.
Candidates must have demonstrated superior communication and interpersonal skills and must be able to work well in a collaborative team environment.

Preferred Skills and Experience:

Candidates should have interest/experience in ANY of the fields of molecular biology, immunology, oncology, cell biology, neuroscience, or bioinformatics.
For these computational projects, specific skill sets should include one or more of the following: experience with R or Python programming languages, analysis of bulk or single cell datasets.

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

Required Skills:

Preferred Skills:

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:

Travel Requirements:

No Travel Required

Flexible Work Arrangements:

Not Applicable

Shift:

1st - Day

Valid Driving License:

Hazardous Material(s):

n/a

Job Posting End Date:

02/16/2026

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:R364602

Merck jobs

2026 Future Talent Program - Genome Sciences, Computational Biology - Co-op

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