diff --git a/.github/actions/build_run_model/action.yml b/.github/actions/build_run_model/action.yml
index 31bb34fb9..f4311c26b 100644
--- a/.github/actions/build_run_model/action.yml
+++ b/.github/actions/build_run_model/action.yml
@@ -22,6 +22,11 @@ inputs:
     description: 'arguments to use when running specified program'
     required: false
     default: ''
+  compiler:
+    description: 'compiler to use when building and running model'
+    type: string
+    required: false
+    default: gfortran
   use-mpi:
     description: 'specify whether to run program without MPI, with MPI, or with MPIF08'
     type: string
@@ -32,6 +37,10 @@ inputs:
     type: number
     required: false
     default: 2
+
+defaults:
+  run:
+    shell: bash -elo pipefail {0}
     
 runs:
   using: "composite"
@@ -40,44 +49,56 @@ runs:
     - name: Creating Makefile template :)
       run: |
         cd build_templates
-        cp mkmf.template.gfortran mkmf.template
-        echo 'FFLAGS = -g -Wuninitialized -Wunused -ffree-line-length-none -fbounds-check -fbacktrace -ffpe-trap=invalid,zero,overflow $(INCS)' >> mkmf.template
-      shell: bash
+        case ${{ inputs.compiler }} in
+          gfortran)
+            cp mkmf.template.gfortran mkmf.template
+            echo 'FFLAGS = -g -Wuninitialized -Wunused -ffree-line-length-none -fbounds-check -fbacktrace -ffpe-trap=invalid,zero,overflow $(INCS)' >> mkmf.template
+            ;;
+          nvhpc)
+            cp mkmf.template.nvhpc mkmf.template
+            echo 'FFLAGS = -gopt -C -traceback -Ktrap=fp  -Mbackslash -Kieee $(INCS)' >> mkmf.template
+            ;;
+          *)
+            echo "Unknown or unsupported compiler: ${{ inputs.compiler }}" >&2
+            exit 1
+            ;;
+        esac
+      shell: bash -elo pipefail {0}
     # Steps to compile and build model
     - name: Building ${{ inputs.model }} model (use-mpi=nompi)
       if: ${{ inputs.use-mpi == 'nompi' }}
       run: |
         cd ${{ inputs.models-directory }}/${{ inputs.model }}/work
         ./quickbuild.sh nompi
-      shell: bash
+      shell: bash -elo pipefail {0}
     - name: Building ${{ inputs.model }} model (use-mpi=mpi)
       if: ${{ inputs.use-mpi == 'mpi' }}
       run: |
         cd ${{ inputs.models-directory }}/${{ inputs.model }}/work
         ./quickbuild.sh
-      shell: bash
+      shell: bash -elo pipefail {0}
     - name: Building ${{ inputs.model }} model (use-mpi=mpif08)
       if: ${{ inputs.use-mpi == 'mpif08' }}
       run: |
         cd ${{ inputs.models-directory }}/${{ inputs.model }}/work
         ./quickbuild.sh mpif08
-      shell: bash
+      shell: bash -elo pipefail {0}
     # Steps to run the specified run-program with mpi options
     - name: Running ${{ inputs.model }} ${{ inputs.run-program }} program (use-mpi=nompi)
       if: ${{ inputs.use-mpi == 'nompi' }}
       run: |
         cd ${{ inputs.models-directory }}/${{ inputs.model }}/work/
         ./${{ inputs.run-program }} ${{ inputs.run-program-args }}
-      shell: bash
+      shell: bash -elo pipefail {0}
     - name: Running ${{ inputs.model }} ${{ inputs.run-program }} program (use-mpi=mpi)
       if: ${{ inputs.use-mpi == 'mpi' }}
       run: |
         cd ${{ inputs.models-directory }}/${{ inputs.model }}/work/
         mpirun -n ${{ inputs.mpi-n-tasks }} ./${{ inputs.run-program }} ${{ inputs.run-program-args }}
-      shell: bash
+      shell: bash -elo pipefail {0}
     - name: Running ${{ inputs.model }} ${{ inputs.run-program }} program (use-mpi=mpif08)
       if: ${{ inputs.use-mpi == 'mpif08' }}
       run: |
         cd ${{ inputs.models-directory }}/${{ inputs.model }}/work/
         mpirun -n ${{ inputs.mpi-n-tasks }} ./${{ inputs.run-program }} ${{ inputs.run-program-args }}
-      shell: bash
+      shell: bash -elo pipefail {0}
diff --git a/.github/workflows/cirrus_action_on_pull_request.yml b/.github/workflows/cirrus_action_on_pull_request.yml
new file mode 100644
index 000000000..d5617945c
--- /dev/null
+++ b/.github/workflows/cirrus_action_on_pull_request.yml
@@ -0,0 +1,247 @@
+name: CIRRUS Action on Pull Request
+
+on:
+  pull_request:
+    types: [ opened, reopened, synchronize, ready_for_review ]
+
+jobs:
+  # Job 1
+  build-run-lorenz_96-mpi-gfortran:
+
+    # Runner instance OS
+    runs-on:
+      group: cirrus-4x8
+
+    # The 'ncarcisl' containers initialize their software environment
+    # through 'sourcing' a common configuration file (/container/config_env.sh).
+    # This is done by starting a bash *login* shell (bash -l [...])
+    defaults:
+      run:
+        shell: bash -elo pipefail {0}
+
+    # Deploy container on top of runner instance
+    container:
+      image: ncarcisl/hpcdev-x86_64:almalinux9-gcc-openmpi-latest
+
+    steps:
+      - name: Checkout repo
+        uses: actions/checkout@v4
+
+      - name: Set checked out repo as a safe git directory
+        run: git config --global --add safe.directory /__w/${{ github.event.repository.name }}/${{ github.event.repository.name }}
+
+      - name: Source container config file and modify mkmf to use 4 cores for compilation
+        run: |
+          source "/container/config_env.sh"
+          cd build_templates
+          sed -i 's|exec '\''make'\'', '\''-f'\'', \$opt_m if \$opt_x;|exec '\''make'\'', '\''-j'\'', '\''4'\'', '\''-f'\'', \$opt_m if \$opt_x;|' mkmf
+
+      - name: Build and run lorenz_96 with mpi
+        uses: ./.github/actions/build_run_model 
+        with: 
+          model: lorenz_96
+          run-program: ./filter
+          compiler: gfortran
+          use-mpi: mpi
+          mpi-n-tasks: 4
+  
+  # Job 2
+  build-run-lorenz_96-nompi-gfortran:
+
+    # Runner instance OS
+    runs-on:
+      group: cirrus-4x8
+
+    defaults:
+      run:
+        shell: bash -elo pipefail {0}
+
+    # Deploy container on top of runner instance
+    container:
+      image: ncarcisl/hpcdev-x86_64:almalinux9-gcc-openmpi-latest
+
+    steps:
+      - name: Checkout repo
+        uses: actions/checkout@v4
+
+      - name: Set checked out repo as a safe git directory
+        run: git config --global --add safe.directory /__w/${{ github.event.repository.name }}/${{ github.event.repository.name }}
+
+      - name: Source container config file and modify mkmf to use 4 cores for compilation
+        run: |
+          source "/container/config_env.sh"
+          cd build_templates
+          sed -i 's|exec '\''make'\'', '\''-f'\'', \$opt_m if \$opt_x;|exec '\''make'\'', '\''-j'\'', '\''4'\'', '\''-f'\'', \$opt_m if \$opt_x;|' mkmf
+
+      - name: Build and run lorenz_63 with no mpi
+        uses: ./.github/actions/build_run_model
+        with:
+          model: lorenz_96
+          run-program: ./filter
+          compiler: gfortran
+          use-mpi: nompi
+
+  # Job 3
+  build-run-lorenz_96-mpif08-gfortran:
+
+    # Runner instance OS
+    runs-on:
+      group: cirrus-4x8
+
+    defaults:
+      run:
+        shell: bash -elo pipefail {0}
+
+    # Deploy container on top of runner instance
+    container:
+      image: ncarcisl/hpcdev-x86_64:almalinux9-gcc-openmpi-latest
+
+    steps:
+      - name: Checkout repo
+        uses: actions/checkout@v4
+
+      - name: Set checked out repo as a safe git directory
+        run: git config --global --add safe.directory /__w/${{ github.event.repository.name }}/${{ github.event.repository.name }}
+
+      - name: Source container config file and modify mkmf to use 4 cores for compilation
+        run: |
+          source "/container/config_env.sh"
+          cd build_templates
+          sed -i 's|exec '\''make'\'', '\''-f'\'', \$opt_m if \$opt_x;|exec '\''make'\'', '\''-j'\'', '\''4'\'', '\''-f'\'', \$opt_m if \$opt_x;|' mkmf
+
+      - name: Build and run lorenz_96 with mpif08
+        uses: ./.github/actions/build_run_model
+        with:
+          model: lorenz_96
+          run-program: ./filter
+          compiler: gfortran
+          use-mpi: mpif08
+          mpi-n-tasks: 4
+
+  # Job 4
+  build-run-lorenz_96-mpi-nvhpc:
+
+    # Runner instance OS
+    runs-on:
+      group: cirrus-4x8
+
+    # The 'ncarcisl' containers initialize their software environment 
+    # through 'sourcing' a common configuration file (/container/config_env.sh). 
+    # This is done by starting a bash *login* shell (bash -l [...])
+    defaults:
+      run:
+        shell: bash -elo pipefail {0}
+
+    # Deploy container on top of runner instance
+    container: 
+      image: ncarcisl/hpcdev-x86_64:almalinux9-nvhpc-openmpi-latest
+
+    steps:
+      - name: Checkout repo
+        uses: actions/checkout@v4
+
+      - name: Set checked out repo as a safe git directory
+        run: git config --global --add safe.directory /__w/${{ github.event.repository.name }}/${{ github.event.repository.name }}
+
+    # nvhpc requires some modifications to not use the ftn wrapper for derecho
+      - name: Source container config file and modify mkmf to use 4 cores for compilation
+        run: |
+          source "/container/config_env.sh"
+          cd build_templates
+          sed -i 's/MPIFC = ftn/MPIFC = mpif90/' mkmf.template.nvhpc
+          sed -i 's/MPILD = ftn/MPILD = mpif90/' mkmf.template.nvhpc
+          sed -i 's/LD = ftn/LD = nvfortran/' mkmf.template.nvhpc
+          sed -i 's/FC = ftn/FC = nvfortran/' mkmf.template.nvhpc
+          sed -i 's|exec '\''make'\'', '\''-f'\'', \$opt_m if \$opt_x;|exec '\''make'\'', '\''-j'\'', '\''4'\'', '\''-f'\'', \$opt_m if \$opt_x;|' mkmf
+
+      - name: Build and run lorenz_96 with mpi
+        uses: ./.github/actions/build_run_model 
+        with: 
+          model: lorenz_96
+          run-program: ./filter
+          compiler: nvhpc
+          use-mpi: mpi
+          mpi-n-tasks: 4
+  
+  # Job 5
+  build-run-lorenz_96-nompi-nvhpc:
+
+    # Runner instance OS
+    runs-on:
+      group: cirrus-4x8
+
+    defaults:
+      run:
+        shell: bash -elo pipefail {0}
+
+    # Deploy container on top of runner instance
+    container:
+      image: ncarcisl/hpcdev-x86_64:almalinux9-nvhpc-openmpi-latest
+
+    steps:
+      - name: Checkout repo
+        uses: actions/checkout@v4
+
+      - name: Set checked out repo as a safe git directory
+        run: git config --global --add safe.directory /__w/${{ github.event.repository.name }}/${{ github.event.repository.name }}
+
+    # nvhpc requires some modifications to not use the ftn wrapper for derecho
+      - name: Source container config file and modify mkmf to use 4 cores for compilation
+        run: |
+          source "/container/config_env.sh"
+          cd build_templates
+          sed -i 's/MPIFC = ftn/MPIFC = mpif90/' mkmf.template.nvhpc
+          sed -i 's/MPILD = ftn/MPILD = mpif90/' mkmf.template.nvhpc
+          sed -i 's/LD = ftn/LD = nvfortran/' mkmf.template.nvhpc
+          sed -i 's/FC = ftn/FC = nvfortran/' mkmf.template.nvhpc
+          sed -i 's|exec '\''make'\'', '\''-f'\'', \$opt_m if \$opt_x;|exec '\''make'\'', '\''-j'\'', '\''4'\'', '\''-f'\'', \$opt_m if \$opt_x;|' mkmf
+
+      - name: Build and run lorenz_63 with no mpi
+        uses: ./.github/actions/build_run_model
+        with:
+          model: lorenz_96
+          run-program: ./filter
+          compiler: nvhpc
+          use-mpi: nompi
+
+  # Job 6
+  build-run-lorenz_96-mpif08-nvhpc:
+
+    # Runner instance OS
+    runs-on:
+      group: cirrus-4x8
+
+    defaults:
+      run:
+        shell: bash -elo pipefail {0}
+
+    # Deploy container on top of runner instance
+    container:
+      image: ncarcisl/hpcdev-x86_64:almalinux9-nvhpc-openmpi-latest
+
+    steps:
+      - name: Checkout repo
+        uses: actions/checkout@v4
+
+      - name: Set checked out repo as a safe git directory
+        run: git config --global --add safe.directory /__w/${{ github.event.repository.name }}/${{ github.event.repository.name }}
+
+    # nvhpc requires some modifications to not use the ftn wrapper for derecho
+      - name: Source container config file and modify mkmf to use 4 cores for compilation
+        run: |
+          source "/container/config_env.sh"
+          cd build_templates
+          sed -i 's/MPIFC = ftn/MPIFC = mpif90/' mkmf.template.nvhpc
+          sed -i 's/MPILD = ftn/MPILD = mpif90/' mkmf.template.nvhpc
+          sed -i 's/LD = ftn/LD = nvfortran/' mkmf.template.nvhpc
+          sed -i 's/FC = ftn/FC = nvfortran/' mkmf.template.nvhpc
+          sed -i 's|exec '\''make'\'', '\''-f'\'', \$opt_m if \$opt_x;|exec '\''make'\'', '\''-j'\'', '\''4'\'', '\''-f'\'', \$opt_m if \$opt_x;|' mkmf
+
+      - name: Build and run lorenz_96 with mpif08
+        uses: ./.github/actions/build_run_model
+        with:
+          model: lorenz_96
+          run-program: ./filter
+          compiler: nvhpc
+          use-mpi: mpif08
+          mpi-n-tasks: 4