2026 Future Talent Program – Animal Health Research & Development Summer – 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 Animal Health Division can provide you with great development and a chance to see if we are the right company for your long-term goals.

Our Company is offering a summer internship opportunity at our De Soto, Kansas Research & Development facility as a member of a research team developing new solutions for protection of cattle against infectious disease pathogens. In this role, the intern will learn and perform laboratory procedures used during the development of vaccines, which may include but not be limited to bacterial and virological assays, tissue culture, ELISA, in vitro protein expression, virus purification, serological assays and PCR. The internship may also involve work with animals.

Minimum education requirement:

• Candidates must be currently enrolled in Animal Science, Agribusiness, Veterinary School, or Animal Health related degree program

• Candidates must have completed at least 2 years of college course work by June 2026

Required experience and skills:

• Candidate must be available for full-time employment for 9-12 weeks during the months of May – August 2026

• Candidate must be committed to making an active contribution to team goals

• Candidate must be 20 years of age or older at the start of the internship to meet the necessary criteria to obtain a rental car agreement through our rental car provider

Preferred experience and skills:

• Candidate should have experience working in a science laboratory and applicable safety procedures

• Candidate should understand general microbiological, biochemical, immunological principles

• Candidate should have general computer skills in word processing, data management, and graphics

• Candidate should have good communication skills and the ability to keep accurate records

Please note that this position may be closed before the posted end date or may remain open longer, at the discretion of the company.

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.

Salary range:

The salary range for this role is $39,600.00-$105,500.00 USD

FTP2026

AH2026

Required Skills:

Accountability, Accountability, Assay, Biochemical Assays, Business, Cell-Based Assays, Cell Cultures, Clinical Research, Cloud Data Catalog, Communication, Data Analysis, Database Management, Data Science, Data Security, Data Visualization, Data Wrangling, Detail-Oriented, Disease Prevention, Enzyme Linked Immunosorbent Assay (ELISA), Event Planning, Immunochemistry, Immunology, Key Performance Indicators (KPI), Mammalian Cell Culture, Polymerase Chain Reaction (PCR) {+ 5 more}

Preferred Skills:

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.

As an Equal Employment Opportunity Employer, we provide equal opportunities to all employees and applicants for employment and prohibit discrimination on the basis of race, color, age, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, protected veteran status, disability status, or other applicable legally protected characteristics. As a federal contractor, we comply with all affirmative action requirements for protected veterans and individuals with disabilities. For more information about personal rights under the U.S. Equal Opportunity Employment laws, visit:

EEOC Know Your Rights

EEOC GINA Supplement​

We are proud to be a company that embraces the value of bringing together, talented, and committed people with diverse experiences, perspectives, skills and backgrounds. The fastest way to breakthrough innovation is when people with diverse ideas, broad experiences, backgrounds, and skills 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, Monday – 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”.

San Francisco Residents Only: We will consider qualified applicants with arrest and conviction records for employment in compliance with the San Francisco Fair Chance Ordinance

Los Angeles Residents Only: We will consider for employment all qualified applicants, including those with criminal histories, in a manner consistent with the requirements of applicable state and local laws, including the City of Los Angeles’ Fair Chance Initiative for Hiring Ordinance

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:

Intern/Co-op (Fixed Term)

Relocation:

No relocation

VISA Sponsorship:

No

Travel Requirements:

No Travel Required

Flexible Work Arrangements:

Not Applicable

Shift:

Not Indicated

Valid Driving License:

Yes

Hazardous Material(s):

Yes

Job Posting End Date:

11/12/2025

*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.