diff --git a/.github/workflows/ci_tests.yml b/.github/workflows/ci_tests.yml
index 12a404e..0c48c23 100644
--- a/.github/workflows/ci_tests.yml
+++ b/.github/workflows/ci_tests.yml
@@ -101,4 +101,30 @@ jobs:
       run: |
         tox -e ${{ matrix.tox_env }} -- ${{ matrix.toxposargs }}
 
-        
+  # run Python unit tests after testing that the project compiles in different versions
+  build:
+    strategy:
+      matrix:
+        python-version: [3.10]
+    runs-on: ubuntu-latest
+    steps:
+      - name: Checkout
+        uses: actions/checkout@v2
+        with:
+          fetch-depth: 0
+          
+      - name: Switch to Current Branch
+        run: git checkout ${{ env.BRANCH }}
+              
+      - name: Set up Python ${{ matrix.python-version }}
+        uses: actions/setup-python@v1
+        with:
+          python-version: ${{ matrix.python-version }}
+      - name: Install dependencies
+        run: |
+          python -m pip install --upgrade pip
+          pip install -r requirements.txt
+          pip install -e .
+      - name: Run unit tests
+        run: python -m pytest --import-mode=append tests/
+