diff --git a/.pre-commit-config.yaml b/.pre-commit-config.yaml
index 938901f..a885181 100644
--- a/.pre-commit-config.yaml
+++ b/.pre-commit-config.yaml
@@ -22,3 +22,4 @@ repos:
     rev: 5.13.2
     hooks:
       - id: isort
+        args: ["--profile", "black", "--filter-files"]
diff --git a/qa/tools/apex_algorithm_qa_tools/usecases.py b/qa/tools/apex_algorithm_qa_tools/usecases.py
index ce7570d..eaa5a98 100644
--- a/qa/tools/apex_algorithm_qa_tools/usecases.py
+++ b/qa/tools/apex_algorithm_qa_tools/usecases.py
@@ -2,10 +2,12 @@
 
 import dataclasses
 import json
+import logging
+import os
 from pathlib import Path
 from typing import List
 
-_PROJECT_ROOT = Path(__file__).parent.parent.parent.parent
+_log = logging.getLogger(__name__)
 
 
 @dataclasses.dataclass(kw_only=True)
@@ -28,10 +30,45 @@ def from_dict(cls, data: dict) -> UseCase:
         )
 
 
+APEX_ALGORITHM_INVOCATIONS_ROOT = "APEX_ALGORITHM_INVOCATIONS_ROOT"
+
+
+def get_algorithm_invocation_root() -> Path:
+    # TODO: find a better name for "algorithm invocations"?
+    # First attempt: check environment variable
+    if APEX_ALGORITHM_INVOCATIONS_ROOT in os.environ:
+        algo_root = os.environ[APEX_ALGORITHM_INVOCATIONS_ROOT]
+        _log.info(
+            f"Using algorithm invocations root {algo_root!r} (from environment variable {APEX_ALGORITHM_INVOCATIONS_ROOT})"
+        )
+        return Path(algo_root)
+
+    # Next attempts: try to detect project root
+    for project_root_candidate in [
+        # Running from project root?
+        Path.cwd(),
+        # Running from qa/tools, qa/benchmarks, qa/unittests?
+        Path.cwd().parent.parent,
+        # Search from current file
+        Path(__file__).parent.parent.parent.parent,
+    ]:
+        if project_root_candidate.is_dir() and all(
+            (project_root_candidate / p).is_dir()
+            for p in ["algorithm_invocations", "qa/tools"]
+        ):
+            algo_root = project_root_candidate / "algorithm_invocations"
+            _log.info(
+                f"Using algorithm invocations root {algo_root!r} (assuming project root {project_root_candidate!r})"
+            )
+            return algo_root
+
+    raise RuntimeError("Could not determine algorithm invocations root directory.")
+
+
 def get_use_cases() -> List[UseCase]:
     # TODO: instead of flat list, keep original grouping/structure of "algorithm_invocations" files?
     use_cases = []
-    for path in (_PROJECT_ROOT / "algorithm_invocations").glob("*.json"):
+    for path in get_algorithm_invocation_root().glob("*.json"):
         with open(path) as f:
             data = json.load(f)
         # TODO: support single use case files in addition to listings?
diff --git a/qa/unittests/tests/test_usecases.py b/qa/unittests/tests/test_usecases.py
index 3d4cbf5..a746b71 100644
--- a/qa/unittests/tests/test_usecases.py
+++ b/qa/unittests/tests/test_usecases.py
@@ -1,4 +1,11 @@
-from apex_algorithm_qa_tools.usecases import get_use_cases
+from apex_algorithm_qa_tools.usecases import (
+    get_algorithm_invocation_root,
+    get_use_cases,
+)
+
+
+def test_get_algorithm_invocation_root():
+    assert get_algorithm_invocation_root().is_dir()
 
 
 def test_get_use_cases():