2027 Future Talent Program – Social Impact Sustainability – Co-op

Merck; Rahway (NJ); Hybrid; USD 40,000 - 111,000; Part time

Job summary

Merck’s Future Talent Program offers a six-month Co-op in our Global Support Functions. As a Graduate Co‑Op, you will contribute to sustainability, ESG, and transparency efforts, guided by the Director of Sustainability Strategy & Engagement. You will work within the SSE pillar of SIS, collaborating across functions and engaging in projects that advance multiyear sustainability strategy and reporting. Mentorship from a diverse team supports your growth.

Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree required; must be enrolled in a graduate program.
• Familiarity with ESG concepts and sustainability reporting.
• Ability to connect sustainability trends to corporate strategy.
• Strong written and verbal communication.
• Comfort working in a fast-paced, collaborative environment.
• Growth mindset and curiosity about ESG developments.
• Ability to manage multiple priorities with limited information.
• Knowledge of global health equity a plus.

Responsibilities

• Develop a deep understanding of sustainability and how strong performance drives sustainable value for our business and society.
• Support the integration of sustainability considerations into business processes, decision making, and enterprise planning activities.
• Contribute to research and benchmarking to help identify emerging sustainability trends, risks, and opportunities relevant to the company.
• Assist in gathering, validating, and organizing sustainability related data for internal insights and external reporting.
• Support the preparation of sustainability materials such as dashboards, summaries, presentations, or contributions to disclosure documents.
• Participate in cross functional work sessions and stakeholder engagements to support alignment on sustainability objectives.
• Provide project support to priority sustainability initiatives, including planning, documentation, and coordination.

Skills

ESG concepts

Sustainability strategy

Data gathering

Public health awareness

Cross-functional collaboration

Education

Bachelor’s degree

Graduate degree enrollment

Job description

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 Global Support Functions department can provide you with great development and a chance to see if we are the right company for your long-term goals.

The role of the Graduate Co-Op position is a unique opportunity to join our company as a contributor to the company’s sustainability, or environmental, social, and governance, and efforts, helping to advance strategy, transparency and disclosure. The individual selected for this role will work under the guidance of the Director, Sustainability Strategy & Engagement, Strategic Consulting in a fast-paced and changing environment.

The Sustainability Strategy & Engagement (SSE) pillar is part of Our Company’s Social Impact and Sustainability (SIS) team within Strategic Access Policy and Communications. In addition to SSE, the SIS includes pillars focused on global impact investing and giving, mission-aligned initiatives and regional impact engagement. SSE works closely with these groups as well as with leaders and partners in the business, including Research and Development (R&D), Manufacturing, Commercial Operations and Market Access, Finance, Risk Management, Corporate Strategy, Human Resources, Finance, Legal, Compliance, Treasury, Investor Relations, Global Public Policy, Environmental Sustainability, Animal Health, Procurement and others on a day-to-day basis.

This role will serve as a member of a high-performing of SSE pillar, focusing on the company’s commitment to operating responsibly to enable a safe, sustainable and healthy future for people and communities everywhere. This opportunity is an exciting, rigorous and real-world career development opportunity in a rapidly evolving field. The Graduate Co-Op will be mentored by a diverse team of inspired, intellectually curious people. Co-ops are exposed to many facets of our business, including networking with senior leaders.

In this position, the Graduate Co-Op will have the opportunity to engage in several opportunities and projects across SSE. The Graduate Co-Op will support key objectives by helping to: a) advance our multiyear sustainability strategy, integrating sustainability into global operations, with accountability for results across functions and enabled by data, and b) leverage our sustainability efforts to help enhance the public’s trust and our reputation as a company that acts in the best interest of society; and c) support our Access to Health focus area by assisting with research, data gathering, and analysis related to global health equity, barriers to care, and access driven program design.

Through This Position The Graduate Co-Op Will

• Develop a deep understanding of sustainability and how strong performance drives sustainable value for our business and society,


• Support the integration of sustainability considerations into business processes, decision making, and enterprise planning activities.


• Contribute to research and benchmarking to help identify emerging sustainability trends, risks, and opportunities relevant to the company.


• Assist in gathering, validating, and organizing sustainability related data for internal insights and external reporting.


• Support the preparation of sustainability materials such as dashboards, summaries, presentations, or contributions to disclosure documents.


• Participate in cross functional work sessions and stakeholder engagements to support alignment on sustainability objectives.


• Provide project support to priority sustainability initiatives, including planning, documentation, and coordination.

Desired Experience / Skills

• Familiarity with corporate sustainability or ESG concepts, including climate strategy, social impact, responsible business practices, and materiality.


• Understanding of how sustainability performance creates value for business and society.


• Interest in connecting sustainability trends, risks, and opportunities to corporate strategy.


• Familiarity with global public health concepts, including health equity, social determinants of health, and access to care challenges.


• Understanding of how access barriers intersect with sustainability, ESG, and corporate responsibility strategies.


• Experience reviewing or synthesizing public health research, epidemiologic data, or global health trends.


• Ability to think critically and navigate ambiguity in a fast-moving environment. Ability to influence without authority and build relationships across diverse stakeholder groups.


• Strong written and verbal communication skills, with ability to synthesize complex sustainability topics for different audiences.


• Experience preparing presentations, summaries, or research insights.


• Growth mindset with intellectual curiosity about emerging sustainability and ESG developments.


• Ability to advance workstreams independently, even with incomplete information.


• Comfort managing multiple priorities in a dynamic environment.

Required Education & Experience

• Candidate must have a bachelor’s degree as required education, and must be enrolled in a graduate degree.

Preferred Experience & Skills

• Candidates should have at least 1-2 years’ work experience as desired but not required.

Salary Range

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

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.

Employee Status

Intern/Co-op (Fixed Term)

Relocation

No relocation

VISA Sponsorship

No

Travel Requirements

No Travel Required

Flexible Work Arrangements

Hybrid

Shift

Not Indicated

Valid Driving License

No

Hazardous Material(s)

n/a

Job Posting End Date

• 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.

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.

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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