2026 Future Talent Program- Protein & Structural Chemistry - Co-op

MSD

90d • $39,600 - $105,500

About The Position

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. We are seeking a Co‑op to join our Protein & Structural Chemistry group within Discovery Chemistry. Our team uses multidisciplinary approaches to design, express, purify, and characterize protein reagents that enable structure elucidation and advance our drug discovery pipeline—ultimately helping improve patients’ lives. The specific project will include evaluation of methodologies to generate protein reagents using both cell-free and traditional recombinant expression techniques. The co-op will purify, characterize and compare proteins generated from different expression platforms with the goal of generating protein suitable for structural studies.

Requirements

• Candidate must have completion of at least two years of undergraduate studies (BS/BA) or one year of graduate studies (MS/PhD) by June 2026
• Candidate must have availability to work full‑time, on‑site for 6 months, in West Point, PA, beginning winter/spring/summer 2026
• Candidate must have knowledge of eukaryotic cell culture and aseptic technique
• Candidate must have knowledge of molecular biology, biochemistry, protein expression, purification and/or characterization
• Candidate must be highly organized, self‑motivated, with strong analytical and communication skills
• Candidate must have the ability to work effectively in a collaborative, team‑oriented environment and to contribute to an inclusive culture
• Candidate must have meticulous attention to detail and documentation skills

Nice To Haves

• Candidate should have experience with eukaryotic cell maintenance, transfection, and scale‑up
• Candidate should have experience with FPLC, affinity/ion exchange, and size exclusion chromatography, SDS-PAGE, analytical SEC, DSF, LC/MS, Western blotting and/or related analytical assays
• Candidate should have experience with cell‑free protein expression
• Candidate should have familiarity with the pharmaceutical drug‑discovery process

Responsibilities

• Execute protein expression using recombinant and cell‑free platforms
• Purify and characterize proteins using various biophysical and biochemical techniques
• Maintain accurate electronic lab notebooks (ELNs); follow safe laboratory practices and proper use of biosafety cabinets and instrumentation
• Analyze and present data in both oral and written formats
• Participate in departmental and cross‑functional meetings to gain a broad perspective on the pharmaceutical drug development process
• Engage with an inclusive, collaborative team and contribute to a positive lab culture

Benefits

• Salary range: $39,600.00-$105,500.00 USD

What This Job Offers

• Job Type: Full-time
• Career Level: Intern
• Education Level: Bachelor's degree
• Number of Employees: 5,001-10,000 employees