2025 University Recruiting - Global Supplier Management Group Indirect Procurement Scope 3 Environmental Sustainability Co-op

Merck & Co. is hiring a co-op for their 2025 University Recruiting program in Rahway, NJ, focusing on Scope 3 environmental sustainability within the Global Supplier Management Group. The role involves collaborating with teams to develop emissions reduction strategies, monitoring supplier sustainability performance, and engaging suppliers in sustainable practices. Candidates should be pursuing a relevant bachelor's or MBA degree, possess strong communication and project management skills, and have a GPA of 3.0 or higher.
About the position

This internship role is part of the Indirect Sourcing & Operations team within the Global Supplier Management Group, focusing on sustainability initiatives related to Scope 3 emissions reduction. The position offers an opportunity to collaborate with cross-functional teams and suppliers to develop and implement strategies that drive sustainable practices and meet decarbonization targets. Interns will gain hands-on experience in supplier management, sustainability performance monitoring, and data analysis while contributing to the company's mission of advancing global healthcare.

Responsibilities
• Support and collaborate with cross-functional teams to assess, develop, and implement Scope 3 emissions reduction strategies throughout the value chain.
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• Support and collaborate with procurement and sourcing teams to integrate sustainability criteria into our ways of working & culture.
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• Monitor and report on supplier sustainability performance, communicating successes and areas for improvement to internal stakeholders and management.
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• Support the execution and improvement of supplier engagement programs, providing guidance and resources to drive the adoption of sustainable practices.
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• Work hand-in-hand and provide dedicated support/active coaching to suppliers across maturity levels, including designing and implementing programs for supplier engagement to enable education, engagement & action.
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• Support procurement professionals with the supplier engagement program, fostering awareness and engagement in sustainability initiatives, providing education and guidance on sustainability principles and carbon analysis.
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• Be involved in organizing and hosting our Sustainability Partner Exchange Summit that brings together our top suppliers and stakeholders across 2025.
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• Monitor, analyze, and interpret supplier progress & data to draw meaningful insights, informing strategic decision making and resource allocation.
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• Utilize data visualization techniques to create dashboards and presentations that effectively communicate emissions data and sustainability performance metrics to internal procurement teams.
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• Support with carbon emission calculations to measure and evaluate supplier's environmental footprint.

Requirements
• Currently in sophomore or junior level curriculum, pursuing a Bachelor's degree in business (such as Finance or Management), Sustainability, Supply Chain Management, Manufacturing, Market Research, Communications or a Science-related discipline (Engineering, Statistics, Biology, Chemistry, Biochemistry or Bioengineering). Or currently enrolled in an MBA program.
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• GPA 3.0 Required
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• Strong interpersonal skills with the demonstrated ability to work successfully on cross functional teams.
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• Robust verbal and written communication skills including ability to make clear and concise presentations, sensitivity to cultural differences in communication.
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• Solid data collection, analysis and reporting skills, utilizing software and/or AI tools for visualization and presentation.
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• Excellent project management skills.
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• Ability to work independently with a high degree of flexibility and adaptability to deal with ambiguous and dynamic situations.
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• Quick learner and motivated to cultivate technical, business and commercial skills by applying their knowledge within our company's environment.
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• Experience with SharePoint and Enterprise social media (specifically Teams, Yammer), and familiarity with principles of business communication, marketing and/or journalism.
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• Proficient in Microsoft office suite (Excel, PowerPoint, Word)
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• Demonstrated excellent academic achievement.

Nice-to-haves
• Prior pharmaceutical industry experience or any fortune 500 company experience
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• Experience with using SharePoint or other similar collaboration websites
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• Experience with Qlik, PowerBI or other data analytic/visualization tools
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• Experience with using Excel to manage large data sets
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• Knowledge of data collection methods (polls, focus groups, surveys)

Benefits
• Opportunity to collaborate with talented colleagues
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• Hands-on experience in sustainability initiatives
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• Professional development opportunities
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• Exposure to cross-functional teams and supplier management