Operational Excellence Intern

Job Description

We are looking for a motivated third- or fourth-year Bachelor (HBO) student in Applied Data Science & AI, Business IT & Management, Business Analytics, or a business discipline with a strong knowledge and understanding of AI and Business automation. Do you want to know what it's like to be part of one of the largest multinational companies in the pharmaceutical industry? We offer an internship opportunity within our Operational Excellence department where you will have the freedom and space for your own initiative.

Intern - HBO – Operational Excellence

Welcome to our team

As a centralized department serving our entire manufacturing site, our mission is to drive sitewide continuous improvement, compliance, and technological innovation to deliver maximum business impact. We are a team of 17 and operate through three highly collaborative pillars:

• ERP & Systems: Streamlining and optimizing our core site-level enterprise resource planning, logistics, and data structures.
• Learning & Development: Elevating site capabilities and securing compliance through smart training metrics and automated development systems.
• Continuous Improvement: Driving operational discipline, eliminating waste on the shop floor, and fostering a culture of high performance.

Your internship assignment

As an intern, you will be responsible for driving the digital transformation of our centralized site operations by designing, building, and deploying smart automation and applied AI solutions. Your goal is to eliminate manual bottlenecks and build automated reporting pipelines that connect our SAP, L&D, and Lean pillars. By creating digital integrations using the Power Platform, SQL, and practical AI, you will deliver a more connected, data-driven department, ensuring our site specialists can focus on driving sitewide continuous improvement and business impact rather than repetitive manual tasks.

Your responsibilities

• Analyzing and automating manual workflows across our SAP, L&D, and Lean pillars by building smart, automated flows (e.g., using Power Automate, Python, or API integrations).
• Designing and deploying applied AI solutions (such as automated text/deviation classification, smart search tools, or custom GPT agents) to simplify documentation and team workflows.
• Building automated data pipelines using digital tools to extract site data, transforming it into high-impact, interactive Power BI dashboards for sitewide KPI tracking.
• Driving AI and automation adoption within the team by training team members on new digital tools and showing them how to integrate smart technologies into their daily work.

The described tasks form the basic package and will often be performed independently after a proper training and learning period. These tasks may be supplemented with other projects and/or tasks on your own initiative or at the request of the organization.

What is required

• Third- or fourth-year Bachelor (HBO) student in Applied Data Science & AI, Business IT & Management, Business Analytics, HBO-ICT, or a business discipline with a strong IT focus.
• Familiarity with SQL, Power BI, and workflow automation tools (such as Power Automate or Python scripting), combined with a strong interest in Applied AI/LLM solutions.
• Excellent English and/or Dutch communication skills, both written and verbal.
• Available for a period of 5 to 6 months for 3 to 5 days per week.

What we offer

Interning at our company means working together with your team towards health in an international work environment. As an intern, you will have the opportunity to work closely with experts and learn from them. In addition, we offer:

• The chance to gain experience in the pharmaceutical industry
• An opportunity to showcase yourself for potential opportunities after your internship period
• A challenging and dynamic work environment with plenty of room for personal development and initiative
• Good guidance from an experienced specialist
• A gross monthly internship allowance of €500,- based on a 40-hour workweek

Animal Health Division

Our Animal Health Division is a trusted global leader in animal healthcare. We are committed to preserving and improving the health, well-being, and performance of animals and the people who care for them. As a global team of professionals, we work together to make a positive difference in animal care and the world's food chain. We also have a deep sense of responsibility towards our customers, consumers, animals, society, and our planet.

By being dedicated to The Science of Healthier Animals®, we provide veterinarians, farmers, pet owners, and governments with one of the broadest ranges of animal health products, vaccines, and solutions and services for health management. Additionally, we deliver a comprehensive range of digitally connected identification, traceability, and monitoring products. We invest in dynamic and extensive R&D capabilities and a modern, global supply chain. We are present in more than 50 countries, and our products are available in approximately 150 markets.

NLINTERN

Additional location(s) Compensation Information:

Required Skills:

Administrative Support, Analytical Problem Solving, Clinical Research, Data Analytics, Database Management, Data Entry, Data Visualization, Document Management, Health Economics, Office Applications, Process Improvements, Project Management, Reporting and Analysis, Technical Support, Technical Training, Workload Prioritization

Preferred Skills:

Current Employees apply HERE

Current Contingent Workers apply HERE

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:

Hybrid

Shift:

Not Indicated

Valid Driving License:

No

Hazardous Material(s):

N/A

Job Posting End Date:

11/25/2026

*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.