GES Delivery Co-Op Experience

During my engineering co-op with Merck’s Global Engineering Services team, I spent much of my time learning how safety is maintained on large pharmaceutical construction sites. I regularly walked the field to observe construction progress, identify potential hazards, and talk directly with crew members to improve safety in real time. Through safety trainings, reporting practices, and hands-on interaction with contractors, I developed confidence in recognizing both strong safety behaviors and areas that needed attention to ensure everyone onsite could work securely.

I also gained experience in how major manufacturing facility projects are planned, governed, and communicated. I contributed to presentations and documents that help leaders make decisions on equipment needs, layouts, and project readiness. Supporting meetings at various decision-making tiers taught me how engineering, operations, and leadership stay aligned throughout a project’s lifecycle. I presented updates at several key sessions for our project and learned how communication, planning tools, and risk tracking keep highly regulated projects on schedule and within scope.

Beyond planning and safety, I supported engineering and construction execution tasks—from tracking equipment requirements and reviewing drawings to assisting with progress tracking tools. I helped create a Certificate of Occupancy tracker, contributed to quality and equipment assessments, and shadowed construction teams to better understand mechanical and electrical installations. My co-op showed me the impact of detailed engineering work on cost, schedule, and supply of critical medicines. Overall, this experience sharpened my communication skills, strengthened my technical foundation, and showed me how teamwork across many disciplines brings pharmaceutical facilities to life.

In addition to safety and governance, I engaged in quality, digital innovation, and project controls. I contributed to cost avoidance tracking, supported AI-based quality assessments, and assisted with dashboards like the Knowledge Action Plan (KAP). I also conducted equipment analysis and attended scheduling meetings to understand construction milestones and resource planning. These experiences enhanced my technical proficiency in data visualization, regulatory compliance, and continuous improvement methodologies, preparing me for future roles in engineering and project delivery.