2027 Future Talent Program – Biocatalysis - Co-op

msd; Rahway (NJ); On-site; USD 40,000 - 111,000; Full time

Job summary

Merck & Co., Inc. in Rahway, NJ offers a Future Talent Program co-op in the Biocatalysis group within Small Molecule Process Research & Development.

The role focuses on biocatalysis, enzyme engineering, microfluidics, and fermentation, with opportunities to develop novel enzymes and reactions for drug-like molecules. Candidates are undergraduate or graduate students in chemistry/biochemistry/biological sciences or related fields, available May 2027 for 4–6 months, and authorized to work in the

Qualifications

• Enrolled sophomore to senior pursuing a Bachelor's degree in chemistry-related fields or a graduate student pursuing a Master's or PhD in related fields.
• Must have completed at least two years of study toward a bachelor’s degree by June 2027.
• Must be available to work full-time for approximately 4–6 months beginning May 2027.
• Must be authorized to work in the United States; sponsorship is not available for this role.

Responsibilities

• Contribute to biocatalysis, enzyme engineering, microfluidics, and fermentation projects.
• Develop novel enzymatic transformations and expand the biocatalytic toolbox.
• Work across chemistry and biology lab spaces with collaboration from scientists.
• Record results in electronic notebooks and present findings orally and in writing.

Skills

Organic chemistry

Enzymology

Protein design

Directed evolution

Lab notebook

Data interpretation

PCR techniques

Python or MATLAB

Data visualization

GPA 3.0+

Education

Bachelor's degree in Chemistry/Biochemistry/Biology/C./Biochemical Eng./Bioengineering/Materials Science

Master's or PhD in Chemistry/Biochemistry/Biology/Chemical Eng./Bioengineering/Materials Science

Job description

Job Description

The Future Talent Program features cooperative (co-op) education that last 4-6 months 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.

The Biocatalysis group within the Small Molecule Process Research & Development Department at our company is seeking motivated candidates to contribute to the invention, development, and innovative implementation of biocatalysts to advance the company pipeline and impact on the scientific community. The candidates will work alongside company scientists in a laboratory environment to impact our drug discovery, development, and manufacture in the following key areas: biocatalysis, enzyme engineering, microfluidics, and fermentation. The role will involve the development of novel approaches, novel proteins, and enzyme-catalyzed reactions to enable access to biologically active compounds and chemical reactions relevant to the synthesis of drug-like molecules.

Day-to-day research for the co-op will focus on solving key challenges in: (a) biocatalysis, which is the development of novel enzymatic transformations and expansion of the biocatalytic toolbox to solve complex chemistry problems, (b) protein engineering, which is the design and engineering of proteins with novel functions, (c) microfluidics, screening and platform development including laboratory automation, data science, modeling and informatics, (d) fermentation, designing and executing improved methods to ensure robust enzyme production, and more! Candidates will leverage their chemistry, biology, engineering and/or analytical expertise to solve complex technical problems while working in both chemistry and biology laboratory spaces. The co-op will provide an opportunity to gain firsthand knowledge on how the company's Research Labs develops and uses technologies to progress medicines and vaccines.

Co-ops will participate in departmental and project team meetings to provide a broad perspective on the drug discovery or development process in the pharmaceutical industry. Co-ops will also gain skillsets via exposure to practical aspects and day-to-day problems of pharmaceutical research. Co-ops will be responsible for and trained in methods for accurate electronic notebook recording and safe laboratory practices. In addition, they will have an opportunity to present their research results in both oral and written formats.

Please note when applying for this position, if the candidate is selected for an interview, the applicant must be prepared to submit letters of recommendation and a brief research statement and a copy of transcripts.

Required Education & Experience

• Candidates must be a currently enrolled sophomore, junior, or senior students pursuing a Bachelor's degree in Chemistry, Biochemistry, Biological Sciences, Chemical Engineering, Bioengineering or Material Science; OR a currently enrolled graduate student pursuing a Master's or Ph. D. in Chemistry, Biochemistry, Biological Sciences, Chemical Engineering, Bioengineering or Material Science.

• Candidates must have completed at least two years of study toward a bachelor’s degree by June 2027.

• Candidatesmust be available to work full-time for approximately 4-6 months beginning in May 2027.

• Candidates must be authorized to work in the United States. Sponsorship from the company is not available for this role.

Preferred Experience & Skills

• Candidates should have a significant interest in organic chemistry, enzymology, protein design, directed evolution, chemical engineering or bioengineering, and/or high throughput screening. Molecular biology, synthetic biology, and materials science and engineering are also relevant disciplines.

• Candidates should have basic laboratory skills and research experiences such as the use of lab notebook recording and safe lab practices.

• Candidates should have experience and/or exposure to chemistry laboratory set-up techniques for multiple unit operations, including but not limited to reactions, workups (including liquid-liquid extraction), use of vacuum evaporation devices, and multiple purification techniques such as thin-layer chromatography, flash chromatography, crystallization, and precipitation.

• Candidates should have experience and/or exposure to the use of analytical techniques and data interpretation such as high-performance liquid chromatography (HPLC), nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) spectroscopy, mass spectrometry (MS), and spectrophotometric techniques.

• Candidates should have experience and/or exposure to fermentation process development, including both upstream and downstream unit operations.

• Candidates should have experience and/or exposure to polymerase chain reaction (PCR) techniques, biochemical assays, and data analysis.

• Candidates should have experience and/or exposure to programming languages including Python or MATLAB and (structural) data visualization tools.

• Candidates should have a GPA of 3.0 or higher (preferred).

Salary range

The salary range for this role is $39,908 - $111,111

FTP2027
RL2027

Required Skills

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: Not Applicable

Shift: 1st - Day

Valid Driving License: No

Hazardous Material(s): n/a

Job Posting End Date: 10/19/2026

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