Internship Opportunities at Merck for Neurodivergent Students
In accordance with its commitment to equal employment opportunities, Merck is currently recruiting for Summer 2026 Internships and has engaged BroadFutures to support the attraction and success of neurodivergent talent for internship opportunities. For these specific opportunities, BroadFutures will assist with related candidate sourcing, processing/vetting candidates and the training and support services for both interns and hiring managers.
If you identify as neurodivergent and are interested in applying to any of these noted internships, please (1) apply through the Merck job posting links below and (2) fill out an application through the BroadFutures Program site: https://broadfutures.pinpointhq.com/. Both actions must be completed by December 4, 2025.
South San Francisco Cytometric Profiling Intern
2026 Future Talent Program - Cytometric Profiling Intern
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.
Location: South San Francisco, CA
Duration: 10-12 weeks (Full-time, on-site; start in May or June 2026)
The Cytometric Profiling group within the Department of Profiling & Expression at our company Research Laboratories is dedicated to advancing preclinical immunology and oncology drug development through innovative biomarker discovery and target profiling. We use cutting-edge flow cytometry to analyze human disease tissue and develop impactful biomarker assays.
We are currently seeking a highly motivated and creative student to fill one intern position at our South San Francisco, CA location for the summer of 2026.
The successful candidate will join a collaborative team of immunologists and cell biologists, working hands-on with human blood and disease tissue samples. Specific projects could include one or more of the following types of studies:
- Immunophenotyping: Profiling human blood and diseased tissue using high-dimensional flow cytometry
- Biomarker Discovery: Identifying and validating target engagement and pharmacodynamic biomarkers for drug candidates
- Technology Innovation: Assessing novel technologies and helping develop new platforms
The intern can expect to gain experience in:
- Processing human blood and tissue for single-cell analysis workflows
- Designing and optimizing multi-parameter flow cytometry panels
- Analyzing complex data sets and presenting your findings to diverse audiences
- Understanding our companies Ways of Working and the drug development pipeline
Education
- Must be currently enrolled in a Bachelor of Science (BS), Master of Science (MS), or PhD program in Biological Sciences, Cell Biology, or a similar field
- Must have completed at least two years toward a BS degree by June 2026
Required Skills & Experience:
- Demonstrated scientific curiosity and analytical thinking
- Attention to detail and ability to keep accurate records
Preferred Skills and Experience:
- Completion of upper-division biology coursework
- Basic understanding of aseptic cell culture techniques