2027 Future Talent Program – Protein and Structural Chemistry – Co-op
Merck
Summary
The Future Talent Program features Cooperative (Co-op) education that lasts 4-6 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.
Job description
We are seeking a 6-month Co-op to join the Boston Structural Chemistry group within the Protein and Structural Chemistry (PSC) department in Discovery Chemistry. Our group applies X-ray crystallography, cryo-electron microscopy (cryo-EM), and complementary structural biology approaches to determine high-resolution structures of therapeutically relevant targets and drug-target complexes. These efforts support structure-based drug discovery across a portfolio of research programs.
The Co-op will gain hands-on experience with modern structural biology workflows and contribute to projects spanning early discovery through late-stage development. Depending on project needs and candidate experience, responsibilities may include protein crystallization screening, cryo-EM sample preparation, diffraction or imaging data collection, data processing, structure determination, model building, and structural analysis. The successful candidate will work alongside structural biologists and collaborate with protein scientists, medicinal chemists, computational chemists, and biophysicists to generate insights that guide drug design.
The Co-op will participate in departmental and project team meetings, providing exposure to multidisciplinary drug discovery efforts in the pharmaceutical industry. Opportunities will be provided to communicate scientific results through presentations, written reports, and internal research symposia.
Additional responsibilities include maintaining accurate electronic laboratory records, operating laboratory instrumentation used in structural biology research, and following all safety and compliance requirements.
Required Education And Skills
- Currently enrolled in a graduate degree program in Structural Biology, Biochemistry, Biophysics, Molecular Biology, Chemistry, or a related discipline
- Available to work full-time for six consecutive months beginning in 2027
- Willing to relocate to the Boston area for on-site laboratory work
- Strong organizational, analytical, and communication skills
- Ability to work effectively in a highly collaborative, team-oriented environment
- Experience with one or more of the following: X-ray crystallography, Cryo-electron microscopy (cryo-EM), Protein biochemistry, Protein crystallization, Structural data processing and analysis, Molecular visualization and structure refinement software, such as PyMOL, Coot, ChimeraX, or Phenix
Requirements
- Currently enrolled in a graduate degree program in Structural Biology, Biochemistry, Biophysics, Molecular Biology, Chemistry, or a related discipline
- Available to work full-time for six consecutive months beginning in 2027
- Willing to relocate to the Boston area for on-site laboratory work
- Strong organizational, analytical, and communication skills
- Ability to work effectively in a highly collaborative, team-oriented environment
- Experience with one or more of: X-ray crystallography, cryo-EM, protein biochemistry, protein crystallization, structural data processing and analysis, molecular visualization and structure refinement software (PyMOL, Coot, ChimeraX, Phenix)
Company overview
Merck & Co., Inc., known as Merck in the United States and Canada and MSD (Merck Sharp & Dohme) internationally, is a premier American multinational pharmaceutical company headquartered in Rahway, New Jersey. Founded in 1891 as the U.S. subsidiary of the German Merck Group, the company became independent following World War I and has since grown into one of the world's largest biomedical companies, ranking fourth globally by revenue. Merck operates across three core business segments: pharmaceuticals, vaccines, and animal health products. The company is renowned for its groundbreaking research and development, having brought numerous life-saving medicines to market including Keytruda (pembrolizumab), a leading immunotherapy for cancer treatment that generated $29.5 billion in 2024 revenue, and Gardasil, a revolutionary HPV vaccine. With approximately 75,000 employees worldwide, Merck maintains a robust pipeline of innovative therapies focused on oncology, vaccines, hospital acute care, cardiology, neuroscience, virology, immunology, and diabetes. The company invests heavily in R&D, spending $17.9 billion in 2024 alone, demonstrating its commitment to advancing scientific discovery. Merck's legacy spans over 130 years of bringing hope to humanity through important medicines and vaccines, operating with a purpose to use leading-edge science to save and improve lives globally while fostering an inclusive workforce and responsible business practices.