diff --git a/.github/workflows/integration_tests.yml b/.github/workflows/integration_tests.yml
index 88152a5..32f11e1 100644
--- a/.github/workflows/integration_tests.yml
+++ b/.github/workflows/integration_tests.yml
@@ -40,6 +40,7 @@ jobs:
         env:
           SNOWFLAKE_TEST_ACCOUNT: ${{ secrets.SNOWFLAKE_TEST_ACCOUNT }}
           SNOWFLAKE_TEST_USER: ${{ secrets.SNOWFLAKE_TEST_USER }}
+          SNOWFLAKE_TEST_AUTHENTICATOR: snowflake_jwt
           SNOWFLAKE_TEST_PRIVATE_KEY_PATH: /tmp/snowflake_private_key.p8
           SNOWFLAKE_TEST_PRIVATE_KEY_PASSPHRASE: ${{ secrets.SNOWFLAKE_TEST_PRIVATE_KEY_PASSPHRASE }}
           SNOWFLAKE_TEST_ROLE: ${{ secrets.SNOWFLAKE_TEST_ROLE }}
@@ -61,6 +62,7 @@ jobs:
         env:
           SNOWFLAKE_TEST_ACCOUNT: ${{ secrets.SNOWFLAKE_TEST_ACCOUNT }}
           SNOWFLAKE_TEST_USER: ${{ secrets.SNOWFLAKE_TEST_USER }}
+          SNOWFLAKE_TEST_AUTHENTICATOR: snowflake_jwt
           SNOWFLAKE_TEST_PRIVATE_KEY_PATH: /tmp/snowflake_private_key.p8
           SNOWFLAKE_TEST_PRIVATE_KEY_PASSPHRASE: ${{ secrets.SNOWFLAKE_TEST_PRIVATE_KEY_PASSPHRASE }}
           SNOWFLAKE_TEST_ROLE: ${{ secrets.SNOWFLAKE_TEST_ROLE }}
diff --git a/.gitignore b/.gitignore
index 2d35c02..bbe3e69 100644
--- a/.gitignore
+++ b/.gitignore
@@ -1,4 +1,9 @@
 .vscode/
 target/
 logs/
-.venv/
\ No newline at end of file
+.venv/
+.env
+integration_tests/.env
+integration_tests/.user.yml
+integration_tests/dbt_packages/
+integration_tests/package-lock.yml
\ No newline at end of file
diff --git a/CHANGELOG.md b/CHANGELOG.md
index f05fcba..0738a79 100644
--- a/CHANGELOG.md
+++ b/CHANGELOG.md
@@ -12,6 +12,10 @@ and this project adheres to [Semantic Versioning](https://semver.org/spec/v2.0.0
 - `snowflake__create_mcp_server` macro for DDL generation
 - `snowflake__get_drop_mcp_server_sql` macro for DROP DDL generation
 - Integration tests for the MCP server materialization (`mcp_server_test`), verified via `DESCRIBE MCP SERVER` captured into a table, since `GET_DDL` does not support MCP servers
+- Local development setup: `integration_tests/.env` template, `scripts/run_tests.ps1` runner, and `profiles.yml` SSO support (`externalbrowser` authenticator)
+
+### Fixed
+- Singular integration tests now declare `-- depends_on: {{ ref('cortex_agent_test') }}` so `dbt build` runs models before tests
 
 ## [0.4.2] - 2026-06-05
 
diff --git a/README.md b/README.md
index b67e48a..a8df82a 100644
--- a/README.md
+++ b/README.md
@@ -257,6 +257,50 @@ Notes specific to MCP servers:
 
 Refer to the [Snowflake CREATE MCP SERVER docs](https://docs.snowflake.com/en/sql-reference/sql/create-mcp-server) for the full and up-to-date specification reference.
 
+## Local Development
+
+### Prerequisites
+
+- PowerShell
+- dbt-snowflake installed in your environment
+- A Snowflake account with Cortex Agents enabled
+
+### Setup
+
+1. Copy the env template and fill in your Snowflake details:
+
+```powershell
+# integration_tests/.env is git-ignored
+```
+
+Edit `integration_tests/.env`:
+
+```
+SNOWFLAKE_TEST_ACCOUNT=<orgname>-<accountname>
+SNOWFLAKE_TEST_USER=you@example.com
+SNOWFLAKE_TEST_ROLE=<your_role>
+SNOWFLAKE_TEST_DATABASE=<your_database>
+SNOWFLAKE_TEST_WAREHOUSE=<your_warehouse>
+SNOWFLAKE_TEST_SCHEMA=<your_schema>
+SNOWFLAKE_TEST_AUTHENTICATOR=externalbrowser
+```
+
+> Set `SNOWFLAKE_TEST_AUTHENTICATOR=externalbrowser` for Google SSO (a browser window will open on first connection). For key-pair auth, set it to `snowflake_jwt` and add `SNOWFLAKE_TEST_PRIVATE_KEY_PATH` and `SNOWFLAKE_TEST_PRIVATE_KEY_PASSPHRASE`.
+
+2. Run the integration tests:
+
+```powershell
+.\scripts\run_tests.ps1
+```
+
+This script stages a clean copy of the package to avoid a Windows path-length issue caused by dbt's recursive local package installation, then runs `dbt deps` and `dbt build` from `integration_tests/`.
+
+To install packages only (no build):
+
+```powershell
+.\scripts\run_tests.ps1 -DepsOnly
+```
+
 ## License
 
 Apache 2.0
diff --git a/integration_tests/profiles.yml b/integration_tests/profiles.yml
index 7b28b5b..014631e 100644
--- a/integration_tests/profiles.yml
+++ b/integration_tests/profiles.yml
@@ -9,7 +9,8 @@ integration_tests:
       type: snowflake
       account: "{{ env_var('SNOWFLAKE_TEST_ACCOUNT') }}"
       user: "{{ env_var('SNOWFLAKE_TEST_USER') }}"
-      private_key_path: "{{ env_var('SNOWFLAKE_TEST_PRIVATE_KEY_PATH') }}"
+      authenticator: "{{ env_var('SNOWFLAKE_TEST_AUTHENTICATOR', 'externalbrowser') }}"
+      private_key_path: "{{ env_var('SNOWFLAKE_TEST_PRIVATE_KEY_PATH', '') }}"
       private_key_passphrase: "{{ env_var('SNOWFLAKE_TEST_PRIVATE_KEY_PASSPHRASE', '') }}"
       role: "{{ env_var('SNOWFLAKE_TEST_ROLE') }}"
       database: "{{ env_var('SNOWFLAKE_TEST_DATABASE') }}"
diff --git a/integration_tests/tests/cortex_agent_test_has_comment.sql b/integration_tests/tests/cortex_agent_test_has_comment.sql
index e03b065..b9118fc 100644
--- a/integration_tests/tests/cortex_agent_test_has_comment.sql
+++ b/integration_tests/tests/cortex_agent_test_has_comment.sql
@@ -1,5 +1,6 @@
 -- Fails if the comment is absent from the agent DDL.
 -- Returns 0 rows on success (standard dbt test contract).
+-- depends_on: {{ ref('cortex_agent_test') }}
 
 select 'comment missing from cortex_agent_test DDL' as error
 where not contains(
diff --git a/integration_tests/tests/cortex_agent_test_has_feedback_proc.sql b/integration_tests/tests/cortex_agent_test_has_feedback_proc.sql
index ff6cc21..72d1a8a 100644
--- a/integration_tests/tests/cortex_agent_test_has_feedback_proc.sql
+++ b/integration_tests/tests/cortex_agent_test_has_feedback_proc.sql
@@ -1,3 +1,4 @@
+-- depends_on: {{ ref('cortex_agent_test') }}
 -- Fails if the AGENT_SUBMIT_FEEDBACK stored procedure was not created by the materialization,
 -- or if the feedback_execute_as='owner' override was not applied.
 -- Returns 0 rows on success (standard dbt test contract).
diff --git a/integration_tests/tests/cortex_agent_test_has_profile.sql b/integration_tests/tests/cortex_agent_test_has_profile.sql
index 05d72a4..ae7e3b4 100644
--- a/integration_tests/tests/cortex_agent_test_has_profile.sql
+++ b/integration_tests/tests/cortex_agent_test_has_profile.sql
@@ -1,5 +1,6 @@
 -- Fails if the profile display_name is absent from the agent DDL.
 -- Returns 0 rows on success (standard dbt test contract).
+-- depends_on: {{ ref('cortex_agent_test') }}
 
 select 'profile display_name missing from cortex_agent_test DDL' as error
 where not contains(
diff --git a/integration_tests/tests/cortex_agent_test_spec_content.sql b/integration_tests/tests/cortex_agent_test_spec_content.sql
index 0d88686..ce7ed1a 100644
--- a/integration_tests/tests/cortex_agent_test_spec_content.sql
+++ b/integration_tests/tests/cortex_agent_test_spec_content.sql
@@ -1,3 +1,4 @@
+-- depends_on: {{ ref('cortex_agent_test') }}
 -- Validates that key spec sections are present in the agent DDL:
 --   - orchestration model name
 --   - token budget
diff --git a/scripts/run_tests.ps1 b/scripts/run_tests.ps1
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..b768835
--- /dev/null
+++ b/scripts/run_tests.ps1
@@ -0,0 +1,47 @@
+param([switch]$DepsOnly)
+$ErrorActionPreference = 'Stop'
+
+$root            = Resolve-Path "$PSScriptRoot\.."
+$integrationDir  = Join-Path $root "integration_tests"
+
+# Load env vars from .env
+Get-Content (Join-Path $integrationDir ".env") |
+    Where-Object { $_ -notmatch '^\s*#' -and $_ -match '=' } |
+    ForEach-Object {
+        $k, $v = $_ -split '=', 2
+        [System.Environment]::SetEnvironmentVariable($k.Trim(), $v.Trim(), 'Process')
+    }
+
+# Stage a clean copy of the root package WITHOUT integration_tests/.
+# This breaks the recursive path dbt creates when copying ../  which includes
+# integration_tests/packages.yml -> local ../ -> repeat -> WinError 206.
+$stage = Join-Path $env:TEMP "dbt_cortex_agent_pkg"
+Write-Host "Staging package to $stage ..."
+if (Test-Path $stage) {
+    $empty = New-Item -ItemType Directory -Force "$env:TEMP\empty_wipe"
+    robocopy $empty $stage /MIR /NFL /NDL /NJH /NJS | Out-Null
+    Remove-Item $stage -Recurse -Force
+    Remove-Item $empty -Recurse -Force
+}
+robocopy $root $stage /E /XD integration_tests dbt_packages target .venv .git /NFL /NDL /NJH /NJS | Out-Null
+
+# Temporarily patch packages.yml to point at the staged copy
+$pkgFile  = Join-Path $integrationDir "packages.yml"
+$original = Get-Content $pkgFile -Raw
+$stagePath = $stage -replace '\\', '/'
+$patched  = $original -replace [regex]::Escape('- local: ../'), "- local: $stagePath/"
+Set-Content $pkgFile $patched -NoNewline
+
+try {
+    Push-Location $integrationDir
+    Write-Host "Running dbt deps ..."
+    dbt deps
+    if (-not $DepsOnly) {
+        Write-Host "Running dbt build ..."
+        dbt build
+    }
+} finally {
+    Pop-Location
+    Set-Content $pkgFile $original -NoNewline
+    Write-Host "packages.yml restored."
+}