diff --git a/NAMESPACE b/NAMESPACE
index 79afd7ff7..6631a4576 100644
--- a/NAMESPACE
+++ b/NAMESPACE
@@ -101,9 +101,11 @@ export(use_github_links)
 export(use_github_release)
 export(use_gitlab_ci)
 export(use_gpl3_license)
+export(use_jenkins)
 export(use_lgpl_license)
 export(use_lifecycle_badge)
 export(use_logo)
+export(use_make)
 export(use_mit_license)
 export(use_namespace)
 export(use_news_md)
diff --git a/NEWS.md b/NEWS.md
index fe3743ff2..b2035c2df 100644
--- a/NEWS.md
+++ b/NEWS.md
@@ -1,5 +1,8 @@
 # usethis (development version)
 
+* `use_make()` and `use_jenkins()` add a Makefile and Jenkinsfile, respectively
+  (@ryapric, #501) 
+
 # usethis 1.5.0
 
 ## Git, GitHub (and GitLab)
diff --git a/R/jenkins.R b/R/jenkins.R
new file mode 100644
index 000000000..9282038b6
--- /dev/null
+++ b/R/jenkins.R
@@ -0,0 +1,19 @@
+#' Create Jenkinsfile for Jenkins CI Pipelines
+#'
+#' `use_jenkins()` adds a basic Jenkinsfile for R packages to the project root
+#' directory. The Jenkinsfile stages take advantage of calls to `make`, and so
+#' calling this function will also run `use_make()` if a Makefile does not
+#' already exist at the project root.
+#'
+#' @seealso The [documentation on Jenkins
+#'   Pipelines](https://jenkins.io/doc/book/pipeline/jenkinsfile).
+#' @seealso [use_make()]
+#' @export
+use_jenkins <- function() {
+  use_make()
+  use_template(
+    "Jenkinsfile",
+    data = list(name = project_name())
+  )
+  use_build_ignore("Jenkinsfile")
+}
diff --git a/R/make.R b/R/make.R
new file mode 100644
index 000000000..aad0d02fc
--- /dev/null
+++ b/R/make.R
@@ -0,0 +1,19 @@
+#' Create Makefile
+#'
+#' `use_make()` adds a basic Makefile to the project root directory.
+#'
+#' @seealso The [documentation for GNU
+#'   Make](https://www.gnu.org/software/make/manual/html_node).
+#' @export
+use_make <- function() {
+  use_template(
+    "Makefile",
+    data = list(name = project_name())
+  )
+  use_build_ignore("Makefile")
+}
+
+uses_make <- function(base_path = proj_get()) {
+  makefile_path <- proj_path("Makefile")
+  file_exists(makefile_path)
+}
diff --git a/inst/templates/Jenkinsfile b/inst/templates/Jenkinsfile
new file mode 100644
index 000000000..77d18ba3f
--- /dev/null
+++ b/inst/templates/Jenkinsfile
@@ -0,0 +1,21 @@
+pipeline {
+  agent any {
+    stages {
+      stage('Build') {
+        steps {
+          make build
+        }
+      }
+      stage('Check') {
+        steps {
+          make check
+        }
+      }
+      stage('Clean') {
+        steps {
+          make clean
+        }
+      }
+    }
+  }
+}
diff --git a/inst/templates/Makefile b/inst/templates/Makefile
new file mode 100644
index 000000000..d22ee170f
--- /dev/null
+++ b/inst/templates/Makefile
@@ -0,0 +1,26 @@
+# h/t to @jimhester and @yihui for this parse block:
+# https://github.com/yihui/knitr/blob/dc5ead7bcfc0ebd2789fe99c527c7d91afb3de4a/Makefile#L1-L4
+# Note the portability change as suggested in the manual:
+# https://cran.r-project.org/doc/manuals/r-release/R-exts.html#Writing-portable-packages
+PKGNAME = `sed -n "s/Package: *\([^ ]*\)/\1/p" DESCRIPTION`
+PKGVERS = `sed -n "s/Version: *\([^ ]*\)/\1/p" DESCRIPTION`
+
+
+all: check
+
+build:
+	R CMD build .
+
+check: build
+	R CMD check --no-manual $(PKGNAME)_$(PKGVERS).tar.gz
+
+install_deps:
+	Rscript \
+	-e 'if (!requireNamespace("remotes") install.packages("remotes")' \
+	-e 'remotes::install_deps(dependencies = TRUE)'
+
+install: install_deps build
+	R CMD INSTALL $(PKGNAME)_$(PKGVERS).tar.gz
+
+clean:
+	@rm -rf $(PKGNAME)_$(PKGVERS).tar.gz $(PKGNAME).Rcheck
diff --git a/man/use_jenkins.Rd b/man/use_jenkins.Rd
new file mode 100644
index 000000000..3d0b33d36
--- /dev/null
+++ b/man/use_jenkins.Rd
@@ -0,0 +1,19 @@
+% Generated by roxygen2: do not edit by hand
+% Please edit documentation in R/jenkins.R
+\name{use_jenkins}
+\alias{use_jenkins}
+\title{Create Jenkinsfile for Jenkins CI Pipelines}
+\usage{
+use_jenkins()
+}
+\description{
+\code{use_jenkins()} adds a basic Jenkinsfile for R packages to the project root
+directory. The Jenkinsfile stages take advantage of calls to \code{make}, and so
+calling this function will also run \code{use_make()} if a Makefile does not
+already exist at the project root.
+}
+\seealso{
+The \href{https://jenkins.io/doc/book/pipeline/jenkinsfile/}{documentation on Jekins Pipelines}.
+
+\code{\link[=use_make]{use_make()}}
+}
diff --git a/man/use_make.Rd b/man/use_make.Rd
new file mode 100644
index 000000000..9042eea7e
--- /dev/null
+++ b/man/use_make.Rd
@@ -0,0 +1,14 @@
+% Generated by roxygen2: do not edit by hand
+% Please edit documentation in R/make.R
+\name{use_make}
+\alias{use_make}
+\title{Create Makefile}
+\usage{
+use_make()
+}
+\description{
+\code{use_make()} adds a basic Makefile to the project root directory.
+}
+\seealso{
+The \href{https://www.gnu.org/software/make/manual/html_node}{documentation for GNU Make}.
+}
diff --git a/tests/testthat/test-use-jenkins.R b/tests/testthat/test-use-jenkins.R
new file mode 100644
index 000000000..a0ee78285
--- /dev/null
+++ b/tests/testthat/test-use-jenkins.R
@@ -0,0 +1,8 @@
+context("use_jenkins")
+
+test_that("use_jenkins() creates a Makefile AND a Jenkinsfile at project root", {
+  pkg <- scoped_temporary_package()
+  use_jenkins()
+  expect_proj_file("Makefile")
+  expect_proj_file("Jenkinsfile")
+})
diff --git a/tests/testthat/test-use-make.R b/tests/testthat/test-use-make.R
new file mode 100644
index 000000000..674661a69
--- /dev/null
+++ b/tests/testthat/test-use-make.R
@@ -0,0 +1,7 @@
+context("use_makefile")
+
+test_that("use_make() creates a Makefile at project root", {
+  pkg <- scoped_temporary_package()
+  use_make()
+  expect_proj_file("Makefile")
+})