Intern (Corporate Transactions Legal Team)

Job Description

Here is a detailed breakdown of the company and job description:

About the Company

The company is Merck & Co., Inc. (also known as Merck Sharp & Dohme LLC). It operates with a core mission to succeed in a responsible manner, consistent with its values and high ethical standards, complying with the law, and protecting and enhancing its reputation and assets.

Key aspects of the company culture and operations include:

• Values and Ethics: The company is committed to responsible conduct and high ethical standards.
• Inclusion and Diversity: It prides itself on embracing diverse experiences, perspectives, skills, and backgrounds, believing that innovation thrives when people with varied ideas come together in an inclusive environment. Colleagues are encouraged to respectfully challenge one another and approach problems collectively.
• Work Model: The company currently utilizes a Hybrid work model for office-based positions in the U.S. This typically involves three days on-site per week (Monday – Thursday, specific days may vary by site/organization) and Friday designated as a remote-working day, unless business-critical tasks necessitate an on-site presence.
• Equal Opportunity Employer: The company is an Equal Employment Opportunity Employer, prohibiting discrimination based on various legally protected characteristics. As a Federal Contractor, it complies with Affirmative Action requirements for protected veterans and individuals with disabilities.

Job Description (Detailed)

This opportunity is part of the Future Talent Program, featuring internships lasting up to 12 weeks. These internships are within the company’s Support Functions division and aim to provide development opportunities and assess alignment with long-term career goals.

Role Title: Intern (Corporate Transactions Legal Team)

Program: Future Talent Program (FTP2026, GSF2026)

Number of Positions: Up to two internship positions available.

Duration: Up to 12 weeks, specifically during Summer 2026.

Location: Corporate headquarters in Rahway, New Jersey.

Work Model: Hybrid work model, requiring 3 days a week in the office.

Team and Department:
The intern will join the Corporate Transactions Legal Team, which is part of the broader Office of General Counsel organization.

The Office of General Counsel is responsible for ensuring the company’s success responsibly, ethically, legally, and in a way that protects and enhances its reputation and assets.

The Corporate Transactions Legal Team specifically provides legal support for a wide range of critical business functions, including:
• Business development
• Licensing
• Research collaboration
• Mergers and acquisitions (M&A)
• Other complex commercial transactions
• Real estate matters
• Employee compensation and benefits legal support

Key Responsibilities and Tasks during the Internship:
Interns will work closely with experienced Business Development and Transactional Attorneys on projects, which may include:

• Collaborating with attorneys on agreements related to the acquisition of assets essential for the Company’s mission to address unmet medical needs.
• Assisting attorneys with agreements supporting the development of the Company’s products and the acquisition of products and services required for such development activities.
• Working closely with attorneys on legal matters pertaining to employee benefits and other general corporate issues.
• Providing support for projects related to the Company’s direct and indirect procurement functions and global real estate services.
• Collaborating with attorneys to support transactions led by various Company divisions: Corporate, Research Laboratories, Global Human Health, Manufacturing, Vaccines, and Animal Health. This includes performing due diligence activities.
• Assisting in the drafting and negotiation of various types of agreements, such as:
• Clinical trial agreements
• Investigator/consultant agreements
• Research collaboration agreements
• Data/material transfer agreements
• Nondisclosure agreements
• Procurement agreements
• License agreements
• Other commercial agreements
• Assisting with governmental filings required by competition law authorities in the U.S. and other markets.
• Supporting activities focused on summarizing and organizing critical agreements and specific agreement provisions.
• Conducting legal research.

Travel Requirements:
Travel to Company sites within New Jersey and Pennsylvania may be required. (Note: The general “Travel Requirements” at the end of the posting states “No Travel Required,” which contradicts this specific detail for the role. Candidates should seek clarification if needed.)

Required Experience and Skills:

• Education Status: Candidates must be a Law student (full-time or part-time) pursuing a J.D. degree from an accredited law school.
• Academic Progression: Candidates must have completed their first year (1L) of law school by Summer 2026 and will be returning to law school in September 2026 for their second year (2L).
• Prior Degree: Candidates must possess an Undergraduate degree.

Other Listed “Required Skills” (Note: These appear to be a general list and may not all be directly applicable to a 1L legal intern role, possibly system-generated or for other program roles):
Clinical Research, Cloud Data Catalog, Data Analysis, Database Management, Data Science, Data Security, Data Visualization, Data Wrangling, Detail-Oriented, Event Planning, Key Performance Indicators (KPI), Project Management, Python (Programming Language), Software Proficiency, Vendor Relationship Management.

Salary Range:
The salary range for this role is $39,600.00 – $105,500.00 USD. This is typically the annualized full-time equivalent salary, and interns would receive a prorated amount based on the internship duration.

Application and Logistics:

• Job Posting End Date: 01/15/2026 (Apply no later than the day BEFORE this date).
• Employee Status: Intern/Co-op (Fixed Term).
• Relocation: No relocation assistance provided.
• VISA Sponsorship: No VISA sponsorship available.
• Flexible Work Arrangements: Hybrid.
• Specific City Ordinances: The company complies with San Francisco Fair Chance Ordinance and Los Angeles’ Fair Chance Initiative for Hiring Ordinance for qualified applicants with arrest and conviction records.