2027 Future Talent Program – Bioanalytical Sciences – Intern

Merck • Upper Gwynedd Township, PA

9h • $39,108 - $111,111

About The Position

The Future Talent Program features internships that last up to 12 weeks 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 mission of Pharmacokinetics, Dynamics, Metabolism, and Bioanalytics (PDMB) at Our Company is to advance the therapeutic pipeline through cutting-edge analytical and biochemical data, strengthened molecular design, and mechanistic insights that inform translational modeling and support the development of safe and effective medicines. Within this mission, Bioanalytical Sciences play a critical role in enabling lead molecule screening, data-driven decision-making, and advancement of promising therapeutic candidates.

This internship provides an opportunity to support the development of a Design of Experiments (DOE)-guided decision tree for robust bioanalytical method development, while gaining hands-on exposure to modern bioanalytical technologies and contributing to a practical framework with real-world application.

Project Overview:
Bioanalytical assays often require optimization of multiple interdependent parameters and traditional one-factor-at-a-time optimization can be time-consuming and may not fully capture interactions between critical assay variables.

The intern will review common bioanalytical method-development workflows and identify key assay parameters that influence performance of the assay. Using DOE principles, the intern will organize these variables into a structured framework for screening, prioritization, and optimization. The project will also include development of a practical decision tree that connects assay performance challenges with recommended experimental next steps. The final framework will help support a more standardized, efficient, and data-driven approach for developing robust, fit-for-purpose bioanalytical assays.

Requirements

• Must be a full-time student currently enrolled in a PhD program in Biochemistry, Chemistry, Pharmaceutical Sciences or related life science fields
• Must have a minimum GPA of 3.0
• Must be enrolled full-time in the Fall Semester at an accredited university/college after the completion of the internship
• Must be able to complete a 10-12 consecutive week internship between May and August 2027
• Must have basic laboratory skills and research experience with ligand binding assay.
• Must have knowledge of basic laboratory techniques, ability to collect, record, and analyze data accurately.
• Must have proficiency in statistical analysis software (e.g., Mini tab, STAT 360).
• Must possess strong analytical and problem-solving skills.
• Must possess effective verbal and written communication skills.
• Must have ability to work independently and within a team environment.

Nice To Haves

• Should have familiarity with bioanalytical or clinical laboratory data.
• Should possess knowledge of molecular biology, immunology, or flow cytometry.
• Should have experience developing dashboards or data visualizations.
• Should have ability to work well in a team-oriented environment

Responsibilities

• Ability to think critically and approach challenges with a solution-oriented mindset.
• Analyze experimental and operational bioanalytical datasets.
• Support development of automated tools for data review, visualization, and reporting.
• Assist with assay performance investigations and trend analyses.
• Prepare technical summaries and presentations of project findings.

Benefits

• The intern will gain exposure to: The intern will gain hands-on exposure to bioanalytical method development, assay optimization, and Design of Experiments (DOE) concepts in a drug development setting.
• Build practical skills in identifying critical assay parameters and interpreting assay performance
• Biologics development programs.
• Cross-functional collaboration within a pharmaceutical research organization.
• Scientific communication and presentation skills.

What This Job Offers

• Job Type: Full-time
• Career Level: Intern
• Education Level: Ph.D. or professional degree