diff --git a/.github/workflows/build_test.yml b/.github/workflows/build_test.yml
new file mode 100644
index 0000000000..eba3f30d64
--- /dev/null
+++ b/.github/workflows/build_test.yml
@@ -0,0 +1,50 @@
+name: Standard Build and Test
+
+on:
+  # allows us to run workflows manually
+  workflow_dispatch:
+  pull_request:
+    branches:
+      - master
+    paths-ignore:
+      - '.github/workflows/docker_publish.yml'
+
+  push:
+    branches:
+      - master
+    paths-ignore:
+      - '.github/workflows/docker_publish.yml'
+
+
+jobs:
+  BuildTest:
+    runs-on: ubuntu-latest 
+
+    container:
+      image: cyclus/cyclus-deps
+    
+    steps:
+      - name: Checkout repository
+        uses: actions/checkout@v2
+
+      - name: setup
+        run: |
+          echo "HOME=/github/home/" >> $GITHUB_ENV
+          echo "PATH=$PATH:${HOME}/.local/bin" >> $GITHUB_ENV
+          echo "LD_LIBRARY_PATH=$LD_LIBRARY_PATH:${HOME}/.local/lib" >> $GITHUB_ENV
+      - name: Building Cyclus
+        run: |
+          mkdir -p ${HOME}/.local/lib/python3.7/site-packages/
+          cd ${GITHUB_WORKSPACE}
+          python install.py -j 2 \
+                            --build-type=Release --core-version 999999.999999 \
+                            -DBLAS_LIBRARIES="/opt/conda/lib/libblas.so" \
+                            -DLAPACK_LIBRARIES="/opt/conda/lib/liblapack.so"
+
+      - name: Unit Test
+        run: |
+          cyclus_unit_tests; exit $?
+      
+      - name: Nosetest
+        run: |
+          nosetests -w ${GITHUB_WORKSPACE}/tests; exit $?
diff --git a/CHANGELOG.rst b/CHANGELOG.rst
index d3bda8ce5f..9dc54da862 100644
--- a/CHANGELOG.rst
+++ b/CHANGELOG.rst
@@ -16,6 +16,7 @@ Since last release
   machine with a single python3 install (such as a fresh Ubuntu 20.04), install 
   will fail unless update-alternatives has been used to point python at the 
   correct python3 version (#1558)
+* build and test are now fown on githubAction in place or CircleCI (#1569)
 
 
 **Changed:**
diff --git a/circle.yml b/circle.yml
index 830d0438f4..0495b0a626 100644
--- a/circle.yml
+++ b/circle.yml
@@ -1,59 +1,5 @@
 version: 2
 jobs:
-    # Build Cyclus
-    build:
-        docker:
-            - image: cyclus/cyclus-deps
-        working_directory: ~/cyclus
-        steps:
-            - checkout
-            - run:
-                name: Build Cyclus
-                command: |
-                    python install.py -j 2 --build-type=Release --core-version 999999.999999 \
-                    -DBLAS_LIBRARIES="/opt/conda/lib/libblas.so" \
-                    -DLAPACK_LIBRARIES="/opt/conda/lib/liblapack.so"
-            - run:
-                name: save SHA to a file
-                command: echo $CIRCLE_SHA1 > .circle-sha
-            - save_cache:
-                key: v1-repo-{{ checksum ".circle-sha" }}
-                paths:
-                  - /root
-
-
-    # Test Jobs
-    unit_test:
-        docker:
-            - image: cyclus/cyclus-deps
-        working_directory: /root
-        steps:
-            - run:
-                name: save SHA to a file
-                command: echo $CIRCLE_SHA1 > .circle-sha
-            - restore_cache:
-                keys:
-                  - v1-repo-{{ checksum ".circle-sha" }}
-            - run:
-                name: Unit Test
-                command: /root/.local/bin/cyclus_unit_tests; exit $?
-
-    nosetest:
-        docker:
-            - image: cyclus/cyclus-deps
-        working_directory: /root
-        steps:
-            - run:
-                name: save SHA to a file
-                command: echo $CIRCLE_SHA1 > .circle-sha
-            - restore_cache:
-                keys:
-                  - v1-repo-{{ checksum ".circle-sha" }}
-            - run:
-                name: Nosetest
-                command: nosetests -w ~/cyclus/tests; exit $?
-
-
     # Update docker container
     deploy_latest: # Cyclus/dev -> Cyclus:latest
         docker:
@@ -205,32 +151,12 @@ workflows:
     version: 2 #Needed ?? (already on the top of the file)
     build_and_test:
         jobs:
-            - build
-            - unit_test:
-                requires:
-                    - build
-            - nosetest:
-                requires:
-                    - build
-
-            - cycamore_master:
-                requires:
-                    - unit_test
-                    - nosetest
-            - cymetric_master:
-                requires:
-                    - unit_test
-                    - nosetest
-
 
             # Merge on Master
             - deploy_latest:
                 filters:
                     branches:
                         only: master
-                requires:
-                    - unit_test
-                    - nosetest
             - cyXX_trig:
                 filters:
                     branches:
@@ -245,15 +171,9 @@ workflows:
                         ignore: /.*/
                     tags:
                         only: /.*/
-                requires:
-                    - unit_test
-                    - nosetest
             - deb_generation:
                 filters:
                     branches:
                         ignore: /.*/
                     tags:
                         only: /.*/
-                requires:
-                    - unit_test
-                    - nosetest