2026 Future Talent Program - Device Development & Technology - Co-op (Systems & Human Factors)

Overview

The Future Talent Program offers co-ops of up to 6 months, each involving one or more projects designed to support your professional growth. These opportunities in our Research & Development Division provide valuable development while allowing you to explore whether we are the right company for your long-term career goals.

Our success depends on the integrity, knowledge, imagination, skill, diversity, and teamwork of people like you. That is why we strive to foster an environment of mutual respect, encouragement, and collaboration. As part of our global team, you will work alongside talented and dedicated colleagues while developing and expanding your career.

Within our company, the Pharmaceutical Sciences & Global Clinical Supplies organization is responsible for translating therapeutic agents into functional drug products optimized for patients. The Device Development & Technology team focuses on discovering, developing, and commercializing superior delivery devices - including dry powder inhalers (DPI), metered dose inhalers (MDI), nasal and parenteral systems (ophthalmic, injectables, and implants) - to support small molecules, biologics, and vaccine therapeutics requiring complex delivery routes.

Responsibilities

• Support the planning, conducting, and reporting of various forms of human factors activities including but not limited to user needs identification, user journey / profiles mapping, usability study planning / execution, instructions for use / user training development, known use problem documentation, task and use error analysis, risk assessment / management, and post-launch outcomes analysis.
• Maintain device risk management documentation by conducting risk assessments, evaluating failure modes, causes, and effects (FMEA / FMEDA), and updating risk control and mitigation strategies based on post‑market surveillance, complaint data, and customer feedback to ensure compliance with applicable standards (e.g., ISO 14971) and regulatory requirements.
• Perform independent literature and database reviews to identify relevant scientific and regulatory evidence, synthesize findings, and summarize implications for the team's risk management and human factors work.
• Conduct primary user research, discovering behaviors and motivations through methods such as surveys, interviews, usability testing and more that could lead to the exploration of new research directions and methodologies.
• Perform quantitative and qualitative data analysis and distill the research insights into impactful, actionable, and compelling deliverables and other job-related duties or special projects as appropriate.

Required Education and Experience

Preferred Experience and Skills

Learning outcomes

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

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

FTP2026

RL2026

Required Skills : 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 :

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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 : No

Hazardous Material(s) : n / a

Job Posting End Date : 11 / 3 / 2025

Requisition ID : R368018

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