diff --git a/.github/workflows/lint.yml b/.github/workflows/lint.yml
index 6380a31215..39beef10a9 100644
--- a/.github/workflows/lint.yml
+++ b/.github/workflows/lint.yml
@@ -13,7 +13,7 @@ jobs:
       fail-fast: true
       matrix:
         os:
-          - ubuntu-latest
+          - blacksmith-8vcpu-ubuntu-2404
         python-version: ["3.10", "3.11", "3.12", "3.13"]
 
     defaults:
@@ -64,7 +64,7 @@ jobs:
   matrix_job_required_check:
     name: lint | code & tests
     needs: run_lint
-    runs-on: ubuntu-latest
+    runs-on: blacksmith-2vcpu-ubuntu-2404
     if: always()
     steps:
       - name: Check matrix job results
diff --git a/.github/workflows/main.yml b/.github/workflows/main.yml
index 45c2a1b12d..9545a419d2 100644
--- a/.github/workflows/main.yml
+++ b/.github/workflows/main.yml
@@ -21,7 +21,7 @@ jobs:
     name: check if fork and if so wether secrets are available
     # run when label is assigned OR when we are not a fork
     if: ${{ contains(github.event.pull_request.labels.*.name, 'ci from fork') || (github.event.pull_request.head.repo.full_name == github.repository && (github.event.action == 'opened' || github.event.action == 'synchronize'))}}
-    runs-on: ubuntu-latest
+    runs-on: blacksmith-2vcpu-ubuntu-2404
     steps:
       - run: true
 
diff --git a/.github/workflows/test_common.yml b/.github/workflows/test_common.yml
index 6dc7839e1a..2de8a06a84 100644
--- a/.github/workflows/test_common.yml
+++ b/.github/workflows/test_common.yml
@@ -20,46 +20,46 @@ jobs:
       matrix:
         include:
 
-          # macos tests
-          - os: macos-latest
+          # macos tests (Blacksmith macOS runners top out at 12 vCPU)
+          - os: blacksmith-12vcpu-macos-latest
             python-version: "3.11"
             shell: bash
 
           # linux tests
-          - os: ubuntu-latest
+          - os: blacksmith-32vcpu-ubuntu-2404
             python-version: "3.10"
             shell: bash
-          - os: ubuntu-latest
+          - os: blacksmith-32vcpu-ubuntu-2404
             python-version: "3.11"
             shell: bash
-          - os: ubuntu-latest
+          - os: blacksmith-32vcpu-ubuntu-2404
             python-version: "3.12"
             shell: bash
-          - os: ubuntu-latest
+          - os: blacksmith-32vcpu-ubuntu-2404
             python-version: "3.13"
             shell: bash
 
-          - os: "macos-14"
+          - os: blacksmith-12vcpu-macos-latest
             python-version: "3.14"
             shell: bash
 
           # linux test with minimal dependencies
-          - os: ubuntu-latest
+          - os: blacksmith-32vcpu-ubuntu-2404
             python-version: "3.11"
             shell: bash
             uv_sync_args: '--resolution lowest-direct' # could also be 'direct'
 
           # linux test with newest available allowed packages (will update lockfile, should not be committed if run locally)
-          - os: ubuntu-latest
+          - os: blacksmith-32vcpu-ubuntu-2404
             python-version: "3.11"
             shell: bash
             uv_sync_args: '--upgrade' # could also be 'direct'
 
           # windows tests
-          - os: windows-latest
+          - os: blacksmith-32vcpu-windows-2025
             python-version: "3.11"
             shell: cmd
-          - os: windows-latest
+          - os: blacksmith-32vcpu-windows-2025
             python-version: "3.13"
             shell: cmd
 
diff --git a/.github/workflows/test_destinations_local.yml b/.github/workflows/test_destinations_local.yml
index cc9281f0ff..89e79a0432 100644
--- a/.github/workflows/test_destinations_local.yml
+++ b/.github/workflows/test_destinations_local.yml
@@ -89,7 +89,7 @@ jobs:
     defaults:
       run:
         shell: bash
-    runs-on: "ubuntu-latest"
+    runs-on: blacksmith-8vcpu-ubuntu-2404
 
     # Service containers to run with `container-job`
     services:
diff --git a/.github/workflows/test_sources_local.yml b/.github/workflows/test_sources_local.yml
index 18dbf155db..d4ed622532 100644
--- a/.github/workflows/test_sources_local.yml
+++ b/.github/workflows/test_sources_local.yml
@@ -39,7 +39,7 @@ jobs:
     defaults:
       run:
         shell: bash
-    runs-on: "ubuntu-latest"
+    runs-on: blacksmith-8vcpu-ubuntu-2404
 
     steps:
       - name: Check out
diff --git a/.github/workflows/test_tools_dashboard.yml b/.github/workflows/test_tools_dashboard.yml
index 33ca444193..2f7d8bfd16 100644
--- a/.github/workflows/test_tools_dashboard.yml
+++ b/.github/workflows/test_tools_dashboard.yml
@@ -22,40 +22,40 @@ jobs:
         include:
 
           # macos tests
-          - os: "macos-14"
+          - os: blacksmith-12vcpu-macos-latest
             python-version: "3.12"
             shell: bash
 
           # linux tests
-          - os: ubuntu-latest
+          - os: blacksmith-8vcpu-ubuntu-2404
             python-version: "3.10"
             shell: bash
-          - os: ubuntu-latest
+          - os: blacksmith-8vcpu-ubuntu-2404
             python-version: "3.11"
             shell: bash
-          - os: ubuntu-latest
+          - os: blacksmith-8vcpu-ubuntu-2404
             python-version: "3.12"
             shell: bash
-          - os: ubuntu-latest
+          - os: blacksmith-8vcpu-ubuntu-2404
             python-version: "3.13"
             shell: bash
 
           # linux test with minimal dependencies
-          - os: ubuntu-latest
+          - os: blacksmith-8vcpu-ubuntu-2404
             python-version: "3.11"
             shell: bash
             uv_sync_args: '--resolution lowest-direct' # could also be 'direct'
 
           # mac test with newest available allowed packages (will update lockfile, should not be committed if run locally)
           # TODO: revert to linux
-          - os: "macos-14"
+          - os: blacksmith-12vcpu-macos-latest
             python-version: "3.11"
             shell: bash
             uv_sync_args: '--upgrade' # could also be 'direct'
 
 
           # windows tests
-          - os: windows-latest
+          - os: blacksmith-8vcpu-windows-2025
             python-version: "3.12"
             shell: cmd
 
@@ -113,7 +113,7 @@ jobs:
   matrix_job_required_check:
     name: common | common tests
     needs: run_common
-    runs-on: ubuntu-latest
+    runs-on: blacksmith-2vcpu-ubuntu-2404
     if: always()
     steps:
       - name: Check matrix job results
diff --git a/.github/workflows/test_tools_dbt_cloud.yml b/.github/workflows/test_tools_dbt_cloud.yml
index 8a45f89fcc..0f83b1afcd 100644
--- a/.github/workflows/test_tools_dbt_cloud.yml
+++ b/.github/workflows/test_tools_dbt_cloud.yml
@@ -19,7 +19,7 @@ jobs:
     defaults:
       run:
         shell: bash
-    runs-on: "ubuntu-latest"
+    runs-on: blacksmith-8vcpu-ubuntu-2404
 
     steps:
 
diff --git a/.github/workflows/test_tools_dbt_runner.yml b/.github/workflows/test_tools_dbt_runner.yml
index 9f1cae2c1b..d1377a1a16 100644
--- a/.github/workflows/test_tools_dbt_runner.yml
+++ b/.github/workflows/test_tools_dbt_runner.yml
@@ -16,7 +16,7 @@ jobs:
     defaults:
       run:
         shell: bash
-    runs-on: "ubuntu-latest"
+    runs-on: blacksmith-8vcpu-ubuntu-2404
 
     steps:
 
diff --git a/.github/workflows/tools_deploy_notebooks.yml b/.github/workflows/tools_deploy_notebooks.yml
index 4a57e5d2d7..72a354f01a 100644
--- a/.github/workflows/tools_deploy_notebooks.yml
+++ b/.github/workflows/tools_deploy_notebooks.yml
@@ -17,7 +17,7 @@ permissions:
 
 jobs:
   deploy:
-    runs-on: ubuntu-latest
+    runs-on: blacksmith-8vcpu-ubuntu-2404
     if: ${{ !github.event.pull_request.head.repo.fork }}
     steps: