2025 University Recruiting- Drug Metabolism and Pharmacokinetics Intern

Job Description

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.

A summer research internship position is available in the Transporter Sciences group within the Pharmacokinetics, Dynamics, Metabolism, and Bioanalytics (PDMB) function of our Research & Development Division Laboratories in West Point, Pennsylvania. The Transporter Sciences group is a center of excellence to design, execute, and integrate transporter related in vitro and preclinical studies to support our Company Portfolio through all stages of drug discovery and development. We are also driving cutting edge ADME (absorption, distribution, metabolism, excretion)-transporter science via developing and implementing novel in vitro and preclinical models, as well as translational approaches to enhance our capabilities to predict the roles of transporters on ADME, drug-drug interactions (DDIs), efficacy, and toxicity of drugs, and understand their interplay with drug metabolizing enzymes in healthy and diseased subjects.

This research internship will last up to 12 weeks at our West Point, PA site. The research project will be focus on the characterization of advanced in vitro hepatic co-culture models for transporter expression and function. The intern will be guided to design and conduct various cell-based transport assays and get exposed to proteomics methods to assess transporter abundance. In addition, the intern will have the opportunity to be engaged in scientific discussion, presentation, and develop an understanding of the rapidly evolving field of drug transporters and its impact on drug discovery and development. The intern will also have opportunities to participate in various special events/programs for summer interns to explore your future career interest and learn drug discovery and development at our Company.

Key Roles/Responsibilities will include but are not limited to the following:

• Establish and maintain hepatic co-culture model

• Design and conduct in vitro studies to examine transporter function in hepatic co-culture model

• Perform analyses to assess transporter abundance using proteomics

• Prepare samples for bioanalysis

• Analyze and interpret in vitro data to measure transporter expression and function

• Participate in group meetings and will be expected to present the results of the research project at the end of internship

• Potentially publish the work

Required Qualifications:

• Must be a full-time student currently enrolled in a Masters/PhD program in Pharmaceutical Sciences, Biochemistry, Pharmacology, Cell Biology 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

• Must have basic laboratory skills and research experience on in vitro biological systems and cell culture

Preferred Experience and Skills:

• Prior experience and knowledge in cell biology, enzyme kinetics, drug ADME and transporters are a plus

• Good verbal and written communication skills and interpersonal skills

• Efficient, organized, and able to handle short timelines in a fast-paced environment

• Critical thinking, ability to identify issues and seek solutions

• Ability to work both independently and collaboratively

• Proficiency with MS Office Suite

Under New York City, Colorado State, Washington State, and California State law, the Company is required to provide a reasonable estimate of the salary range for this job. Final determinations with respect to salary will take into account a number of factors, which may include, but not be limited to the primary work location and the chosen candidate’s relevant skills, experience, and education.

Expected salary range:

$39,600.00-$105,500.00

FTP2025

MRL2025

Employees working in roles that the Company determines require routine collaboration with external stakeholders, such as customer-facing commercial, or research-based roles, will be expected to comply not only with Company policy but also with policies established by such external stakeholders (for example, a requirement to be vaccinated against COVID-19 in order to access a facility or meet with stakeholders).  Please understand that, as permitted by applicable law, if you have not been vaccinated against COVID-19 and an essential function of your job is to call on external stakeholders who require vaccination to enter their premises or engage in face-to-face meetings, then your employment may pose an undue burden to business operations, in which case you may not be offered employment, or your employment could be terminated. Please also note that, where permitted by applicable law, the Company reserves the right to require COVID-19 vaccinations for positions, such as in Global Employee Health, where the Company determines in its discretion that the nature of the role presents an increased risk of disease transmission.

Current Employees apply HERE

Current Contingent Workers apply HERE

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.

We are an Equal Opportunity Employer, committed to fostering an inclusive and diverse workplace.  All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, age, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, protected veteran status, or disability status, or other applicable legally protected characteristics.  For more information about personal rights under the U.S. Equal Opportunity Employment laws, visit:

EEOC Know Your Rights

EEOC GINA Supplement​

Pay Transparency Nondiscrimination

We are proud to be a company that embraces the value of bringing diverse, talented, and committed people together. The fastest way to breakthrough innovation is when diverse ideas come together in an inclusive environment. We encourage our colleagues to respectfully challenge one another’s thinking and approach problems collectively.

Learn more about your rights, including under California, Colorado and other US State Acts

U.S. Hybrid Work Model

Effective September 5, 2023, employees in office-based positions in the U.S. will be working a Hybrid work consisting of three total days on-site per week, generally Tuesday, Wednesday and either Monday or Thursday, although the specific days may vary by site or organization, with Friday designated as a remote-working day, unless business critical tasks require an on-site presence.  This Hybrid work model does not apply to, and daily in-person attendance is required for, field-based positions; facility-based, manufacturing-based, or research-based positions where the work to be performed is located at a Company site; positions covered by a collective-bargaining agreement (unless the agreement provides for hybrid work); or any other position for which the Company has determined the job requirements cannot be reasonably met working remotely. Please note, this Hybrid work model guidance also does not apply to roles that have been designated as “remote”.

Search Firm Representatives Please Read Carefully 
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:

Relocation:

VISA Sponsorship:

Travel Requirements:

Flexible Work Arrangements:

Shift:

Valid Driving License:

Hazardous Material(s):

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.