Protein & Structural Chemistry Co-op — 6-Month Boston

Merck; Boston (MA); On-site; USD 40,000 - 111,000; Part time

Job summary

Merck’s Discovery Chemistry division is seeking a 6‑month Co-op to join the Boston Structural Chemistry group. You will work on X-ray crystallography, cryo-EM, and related structural biology methods to support structure-based drug discovery across programs.

You will gain hands-on experience with crystallization, data collection, model building, and collaborative drug design while communicating findings in meetings and reports.

Qualifications

• Graduate student in Structural Biology or related field
• Available to work full-time for six consecutive months starting in 2027
• Willing to relocate to the Boston area for on-site lab work
• Strong organizational, analytical, and communication skills
• Ability to work in a highly collaborative, team-oriented environment
• Experience with X-ray crystallography, cryo-EM, protein biochemistry, crystallization, or related structural methods
• Molecular visualization and structure refinement software such as PyMOL, Coot, ChimeraX, or Phenix

Responsibilities

• Conduct protein crystallization screening, cryo-EM sample prep, diffraction or imaging data collection
• Perform data processing, structure determination, model building and structural analysis
• Collaborate with protein scientists, medicinal chemists, computational chemists and biophysicists
• Communicate scientific results through presentations and reports
• Maintain accurate electronic laboratory records and ensure compliance with safety requirements

Skills

X-ray crystallography

Cryo-EM

Protein biochemistry

Protein crystallization

Structural data processing

Molecular visualization

Education

Graduate degree enrollment in Structural Biology or related field

Tools

PyMOL

Coot

ChimeraX

Phenix

Job description

Merck’s Discovery Chemistry division is seeking a 6‑month Co-op to join the Boston Structural Chemistry group. You will work on X-ray crystallography, cryo-EM, and related structural biology methods to support structure-based drug discovery across programs.

You will gain hands-on experience with crystallization, data collection, model building, and collaborative drug design while communicating findings in meetings and reports.