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Ineni came from an aristocratic family and likely began his career as an architect under Amenhotep I. Amenhotep I commissioned Ineni to expand the Temple of Karnak. The expansion included a barque shrine of Amun and a new treasury. Ineni probably oversaw the construction of Amenhotep I's tomb and mortuary temple as well. The mortuary temple was the first to be disconnected from the actual tomb, presumably so it would not draw attention to the burial site. Amenhotep I died before the treasury could be completed but Ineni was retained by his successor, Thutmose I.

An avid builder, Thutmose I commissioned many construction projects during his rule, including the first tomb carved out at The Valley of the Kings. Many of his projects were at the Temple of Karnak and were under the supervision of Ineni. These works included the fourth and fifth pylons, numerous courts and statues, the completion of the Treasury expansion begun by Amenhotep I, and had a hypostyle hall of cedar wood constructed at Karnak to commemorate Thutmose I's victory over the Hyksos.

After the death of Thutmose I, Ineni was once again retained by the royal family. During the reign of Hatshepsut a new architect, SenemutSenemut was an 18th dynasty Ancient Egyptian architect and government official. Controversial evidence indicates that he may also have been the lover of the female Pharaoh Hatshepsut. Senemut was born of low birth to literate provincial class parents, Ram, would gain major commissions; most notably the construction of her mortuary temple . Ineni continued to supervised several structures commissioned by Hatshepsut and likely was consulted on the many of the others. He was considered by his contemporaries to be one of her favorites , and the steleStele is also a concept in plant biology. Ancient Egyptian funerary stela A stela or stele is a stone or wooden slab, generally taller than it is wide, erected for funerary or commemorative purposes, most usually decorated with the names and titles of the on the walls of his tomb speak kindly of her. His tomb was one of the few structures where, Hatshepsut's name was not chiseled out or replaced, perhaps out of respect for him.